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Government defends plan to appoint ‘bigoted’ former Australian PM Tony Abbott as trade envoy
Then Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaks at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo, Sri Lanka in November 2012

THE government today defended plans to appoint “bigoted” former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott to a senior trade role despite concerns over misogynistic and homophobic comments he has made.

Critics have ramped up their concerns about Mr Abbott’s attitude towards women and gay people after it was revealed that he is in talks to become joint president of the relaunched Board of Trade.

In 2012, his fellow former Australian PM Julia Gillard said that “every day in every way” Mr Abbott was sexist and misogynist.

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