FP BLOG

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in Hot Water Over His Comment

Tony Abbott, the Australian opposition leader, insists that his words were taken out of context. However, Ian MacKinney, the father of Jared MacKinney, a soldier who was recently killed in Afghanistan, disagrees.

Abbott insists that there was no single reason to blame for the soldier’s death and he was caught on camera by saying “shit happens.” Since his comment he has phoned the soldier’s wife to apologize for his comment. Still, the soldier’s father said the remark was out of line. He went on to say that Abbott’s comment made him feel sick. He also chose the words uncaring, ignorant, and thoughtless to describe the opposition leader.

While being filmed during the briefing of the circumstances by US Colonel Jim Creighton, Abbott was told that all of the soldiers had everything they needed in the line of equipment and support. Creighton told Abbott that no one person or no one thing could be blamed for the death. This is when Abbott responded, “It’s pretty obvious that sometimes shit happens, doesn’t it?”

Abbott insisted that Channel Seven had taken his comment out of context. He went on to say that the station was not there and that he would never make such a comment in regards to the death of a soldier. He then turned the tables and said that Channel Seven was trying to turn the situation into a media circus.

Lance Corporal MacKinney was killed during a battle with the Taliban last August. Channel Seven reported that it had battled for three months to obtain the footage. Since then Abbott has once again spoken to the soldier’s wife and felt assured that the she understood his comments.

The soldier’s wife gave birth to their third child just hours following the funeral.

The issue still remains a hot item for Abbott.