Transgender Australian Army: "Abbott and I are close"
Athena Yenko, September 24, 2013 11:53 AM EST

Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor, the highest-ranking transgender individual in the Australian Army,  revealed a friendship she shared with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

In an interview with ABC radio, Ms McGregor, who now works as a key speechwriter for the Australian Army, said that she shares friendship with Mr Abbot long way back when she was still a man and even now after her sex change. She said that they meet often for a meal or two together when she was still a man named Malcolm.

"Tony's one of my longest uninterrupted continuous friends, We're close. It has been written about him recently that he has a great gift for friendship, and that's very true. Tony's got very eclectic friends," Ms McGregor said during the interview.

She said that their friendship dates back to 30 years ago when they played rugby together. However, Ms McGregor decided to cut tie with Mr Abbott during the time when her sex change was just recent. She said she needed a transition time to her new identity from Malcolm to Cate.

Tony Abbott Supports Transgender Australian Army Lieutenant Cate McGregor

International Business Times
by Hannah Osbourne

Australia's prime minister Tony Abbott has been close friends with transgender army lieutenant Cate McGregor for over 30 years.

Abbott, 55, is known for his conservative views on gay marriage, his strong Catholic beliefs and his views of equality for women.

However, McGregor said the prime minister has been fully supportive of her decision to become a [woman].

In an interview with ABC radio, McGregor, the highest-ranking transgender individual in the Australian Army, said she and Abbott are very close: "Tony's one of my longest uninterrupted continuous friends," she says.

"We're close. It has been written about him recently that he has a great gift for friendship, and that's very true. Tony's got very eclectic friends."

Abbott and McGregor met over 30 years ago playing rugby. She said they used to meet regularly when she was still a man, named Malcolm.

Full article at the link
(Note: Typo corrected in third paragraph)

i read this yesterday..... i don't know if "supports" is what i'd put in a title about it.....
sure, he hasn't disowned her, and "nothing changed" in their relationship
but if he supported anything but his cishet status quo he'd probably have at least slightly different policies

you can't shout "i'm still your friend" as you throw us under the bus and expect to get taken seriously, Tony. no.

Will be very interesting to see what happens in Australia under his leadership.

I'm by no means a fan of Tony but I wouldn't necessarily expect this of him.
The massive cynic in me cringed every time he would talk about minorities and refer to the one person that represented each and every part of the community. "What to do you think about LGBT rights?" , "Well, ah, my sister is, ah, lesbian." And? What do you think about the question?!
I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt here, the election is over and Cate probably has said this in all honesty from her POV.

You could be right though decepticonLaura. He may support his friend but Mr Abbott probably also has this niggling feeling in the back of his head that were all going to burn in hell.
Oh well! At least it wont be cold

I've lived in temperate climates all my life. Wouldn't mind a bit of sun

She is a very interesting woman.

http://www.news.com.au/national-news/transgender-lieutenant-colonel-cate-mcgregor-speaks-out-about-abuse-and-support/story-fncynjr2-1226674523255

I don't know anything more about Tony Abbott than I've seen in UK coverage of the Aussie election, so I can't comment on his politics. But I will say this: I've got a lot more time for someone who doesn't stick to a PC script, but is actually decent to and accepting of real people whose lives fall outside the norm, than for someone who says all the right thing, has all the correct opinions, but then doesn't act by them. There's so much hypocrisy in the world these days. There's a lot less kindness. And, in this case, Abbott has acted with kindness and respect towards a friend and he should be applauded for that.

And double thumbs-up to Cate McGregor, both for being a fantastic role model as a transgender soldier, and for being 'a world-renowned cricket writer.'

Pity Australia don't have a world-renowned team to write about any more, but you can't have everything ... 

Quote from: Carlita on September 26, 2013, 06:56:21 AM
I don't know anything more about Tony Abbott than I've seen in UK coverage of the Aussie election, so I can't comment on his politics. But I will say this: I've got a lot more time for someone who doesn't stick to a PC script, but is actually decent to and accepting of real people whose lives fall outside the norm, than for someone who says all the right thing, has all the correct opinions, but then doesn't act by them. There's so much hypocrisy in the world these days. There's a lot less kindness. And, in this case, Abbott has acted with kindness and respect towards a friend and he should be applauded for that.

And double thumbs-up to Cate McGregor, both for being a fantastic role model as a transgender soldier, and for being 'a world-renowned cricket writer.'

Pity Australia don't have a world-renowned team to write about any more, but you can't have everything ... 

Come to think of it, what does Australia really have to write about? Got to admit, nothing interesting seems to really happen.

Nothing interesting at all going on here.

Quote from: Dreams2014 on September 26, 2013, 07:18:42 AM
Come to think of it, what does Australia really have to write about? Got to admit, nothing interesting seems to really happen.

Cough.
ME

What else does a country need?

Quote from: Cindy on September 26, 2013, 07:25:03 AM
Cough.
ME

What else does a country need?

I'm sold!

Australia has a lot to write about. But for the benefit of ladies who do not follow cricket - unlike Lt Col McGregor and I! - the once-mighty Aussie team has been going through a bit of a rough patch, frequently being trounced by their deadly enemies England ... where I come from!

Quote from: Carlita on September 26, 2013, 09:50:05 AM
Australia has a lot to write about. But for the benefit of ladies who do not follow cricket - unlike Lt Col McGregor and I! - the once-mighty Aussie team has been going through a bit of a rough patch, frequently being trounced by their deadly enemies England ... where I come from!

Yeah I'm a Brit too, Wales here. But the only sport I take an interested in is MMA lol.

Quote from: Dreams2014 on September 26, 2013, 07:18:42 AM
Come to think of it, what does Australia really have to write about? Got to admit, nothing interesting seems to really happen.

They have kangaroos and wallabies. What more do you need?


...Let's ignore the spiders with fangs large enough to bite through a toe nail...

Well we just won the America's Cup for the Yanks!

The skipper of Oracle is an Aussie.

We won't mention the cricket just yet, there was more cheating go on in those Tests than in the FA Cup.

But we are also so downright lovable!!! And I'll punch out anyone who disagrees!!

As for the Welsh - aren't they the descendants of the Irish who couldn't swim

And the Brits! - it was said the sun will never set on the British Empire - and that was because even God didn't trust the Brit's in the dark!!

Ahh now I've solved International diplomacy it is time for a Friday evening health beverage - Oi Bruce get Sheila to toss me a coldie.

Quote from: Cindy on September 27, 2013, 03:09:36 AM
Well we just won the America's Cup for the Yanks!

The skipper of Oracle is an Aussie.

We won't mention the cricket just yet, there was more cheating go on in those Tests than in the FA Cup.

But we are also so downright lovable!!! And I'll punch out anyone who disagrees!!

As for the Welsh - aren't they the descendants of the Irish who couldn't swim

And the Brits! - it was said the sun will never set on the British Empire - and that was because even God didn't trust the Brit's in the dark!!

Ahh now I've solved International diplomacy it is time for a Friday evening health beverage - Oi Bruce get Sheila to toss me a coldie.

ooooh! Yes many Welsh are descended from the Irish, especially in north Wales where much of the population is on the coast. And Scotland actually, did you know the 'Scots' were the Irish? Original Scots were Picts.

AS FOR THE EMPIRE! You lot are still in the commonwealth, and apparently fawn over the Royals (someones got to, because I 'aint) etc.

And you shouldn't trust ENGLISH in the dark! English are the nasty pasties!

Everyone else is nice

"The sun never sets on the english empire because even god doesnt trust an englishman in the dark."


You know what we have in Australia right now?  High taxes, high postage, high rates, high property prices, highly price fixed groceries, insurance and petrol

Oh.  And charity muggers, weird wildlife that all wants to kill you and beer.

Oh and an alarming number on transgender folk from Adelaide for some reason.  Insert conspiracy theory about coopers beer here. 

QuoteOh and an alarming number on transgender folk from Adelaide for some reason.

Hmmm. You noticed too Emmaline, they also seem to like branding others, ouch.
Something in the water?

I think us Sydney girls need to stick together.

Also the police are still on the lookout for a man fitting the below description in the Adelaide area.
Strange indeed.

Quote from: Emmaline on September 27, 2013, 06:49:32 AM
Oh and an alarming number on transgender folk from Adelaide for some reason.  Insert conspiracy theory about coopers beer here. 

Funny thing is, a few of us are imports.. Cindy isn't a native, nor am I - I'm from Melbourne.

*Kelly waves her new BANNED brand around menacingly*