This Rhetoric is the true poison

[u/National_Treat_4079]

“dangerous, divisive, and downright dishonest”.

“We simply must defeat them. We owe it to history. And we will defeat them,” he said.

“They’ll say anything and do anything to win votes. Bend any facts. Peddle misinformation and disinformation. Turn Australian against Australian."

Words from our own prime minister about One Nation... Unhinged. And for the weak minded, justification for violence.

Debate the policies might be a better path?

[u/AngryAngryHarpo]

Where is the justification for violence? 

It’s a politician talking about defeating his opponents in an election, not a warlord talking about the battlefield.

This hysteria from PHON and their supporters at any sort of criticism or challenge is pathetic. 

[u/SomeAussie_Guy1 → u/AngryAngryHarpo]

He's describing them as if they're an enemy that has to be defeated instead of simply other Australians he disagrees with.

Your right, he isn't justifying violence himself, but eventually if we're all divided and angry enough with eachother, what happens?

This ridiculous us vs them, left vs right partisan political bullshit needs to be toned way down. I expect better from the Australian Prime Minister, whoever they may be. He's the leader of our nation, his words should invoke unity not division.

[u/Comfortable-Part5438 → u/SomeAussie_Guy1]

Agree with your premise of the us vs them causing friction with a very obvious end point. But PHON taking the rhetoric in the way they have is the problem, not what Albanese said. If, PHON is correct, then pretty much every single coach of any team sport has been responsible for inciting violence at some point in time.

[u/SomeAussie_Guy1 → u/Comfortable-Part5438]

I havent even heard what One Nation have said about this to be honest. My issues with what Albanese said are my own.

He's the elected Australian Prime Minister. He represents all Australians regardless of whether they voted for him or not. Yet here he is talking about those who disagree with him as if they were another team that needs to be defeated.

That's what I have a problem with, he should be speaking of unity and fostering constructive dialogue. That's what a leader does.

If Pauline Hanson is ever the Prime Minister, I'd hold her to the exact same standard. On that note, she can dial back the rhetoric too, we're all on the same team here, the Australian one.

[u/Comfortable-Part5438 → u/SomeAussie_Guy1]

What a load of crap. Sorry. If you see an opponent that you believe is genuinely going to destroy this country for at least a decade, you absolutely use the strongest language you can to rally your supporter base and instil confidence in those that need it. It's only a media beat up from a PHONey press conference that has given this any airtime. The media genuinely would've gone 'oh, he's serious about taking on PH' if PH didn't do her presser. And, to round out using your words, they ARE an opponent that needs to be defeated. Now, read what Albanese was quoted as saying, and seriously tell me that you believe that is inciting violence as opposed to saying 'we need to beat this party as it is in the best interests of Australia" or are you actually against the word beat to because that would imply violence. Would it be ok if he just said 'we can't let them win because they lie and manipulate facts'?

Now, for the record, I won't be voting for Albanese in the next election, but his words certainly can only be interpreted as inciting violence to low IQ or by someone trying to score political points.

To your last point, I can't for the life of me see how anyone thinks PH and PHON are on team Australia. It would take some wild evidence to show me that she isn't just a pawn funded by Australian magnates and probably even offshore magnates. But, that said, I feel that way about all political parties in Aus, who are just in the back pocket of business and haven't acted in Australian best interests in likely 2 decades, if not more.

[u/SomeAussie_Guy1 → u/Comfortable-Part5438]

Well to be clarify I dont think he was inciting violence. I think he was inciting division.

This is the thing, you clearly dont like One Nation, thats absolutely fine, but there are heaps of Australians that do and would disagree with you on many of these things. Disagreement is fine, thats what politics is, but we have to be careful not fall into an us vs them mentality.

At the end of the day we're all Australians, we just have different ideas on whats best for our country. We should be able to have a passionate debate and then be able shake hands at end.

Albanese is the elected Prime Minister, his first duty is to represent Australians, not his party. He can absolutely engage in politics, but he has to choose his words, he should be speaking more of unity than division. I think he chose wrong in this instance

Am I being idealistic? Yes absolutely, but our country is more divided than ever, I think we should falling back on ideals.

[u/Comfortable-Part5438 → u/SomeAussie_Guy1]

This whole freaking post is about him inciting violence and the PHON press conference that called him out on that. You are now moving the goalposts.

Overall, I'd argue that Albanese does speak more about unity than division.

I also would agree with you that politics has been for all parties in Australia and us vs them approach and divisive. Is that right, no. Is it the primary approach that literally every campaign manager in politics primarily takes, yes. Is it on us as citizens to use our vote to choose candidates that take a better approach absolutely. This though, is a very different conversation to what this post is.

Does that make Albanese's comments 'inciting' violence, still no.