Government defends plan to appoint ‘bigoted’ former Australian PM Tony Abbott as trade envoy

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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