Mathias Cormann channels Arnie in 'girly man' attack on Bill Shorten
Date
October 18, 2014
If Finance Minister Mathias Cormann wants to get away from his image as the Terminator of Australian politics, borrowing lines from Arnold Schwarzenegger is the wrong way to go about it.
![Sad Sad](http://www.ozpolitic.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/sad.gif)
Mr Cormann risked causing offence on Saturday by using the former California "Governator's" famous political attack line, "economic girly men".
"The problem that the Labor Party has today is that Bill Shorten is an economic girly man," Mr Cormann told Sky News on Saturday in his trademark European tones, often compared to Austrian-born Mr Schwarzenegger.
The former Mr Universe used the "girly man" line on numerous occasions but most famously at the 2004 Republican National Convention when he blasted pessimists on the US economy as girly men.
Mr Schwarzenegger was attacked by feminist groups and gay rights campaigners.
Belgian-born Mr Cormann was continuing the government's assault on Mr Shorten for blocking billions of dollars of savings measures in the Coalition's controversial first budget.
In the past, Mr Shorten has referred to the Finance Minister as "that Cormann fellow".
He counter-attacked on Saturday, saying that rather than "borrowing lines from Republican Tea Party conventions to joke about hurting vulnerable Australians", Mr Cormann should "face up to his unfair budget".
"It's obvious why Abbott government ministers are more interested in sexist name-calling than defending their unfair budget. This is the same bloke that was celebrating with a cigar in his mouth days before announcing cuts to pensions, family payments and universities," Mr Shorten said.
"Trying to trivialise the hurt and concern this budget is causing in the community, especially amongst women, is a disgrace.
"If the government found room in their cabinet for more than one woman, perhaps this budget wouldn't be such an unmitigated disaster."
Labor MP Ed Husic went immediately in to bat for his leader on Sky, advising Mr Cormann to concentrate on getting "the stink out of the budget".
Mr Husic said Mr Cormann should become "the deodoriser" rather than the Terminator.
"I think he should avoid the name calling and try and actually fix this stinker of a budget," Mr Husic said.
![Sad Sad](http://www.ozpolitic.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/sad.gif)
"Instead of some juvenile name calling, perhaps Mathias Cormann, who people like to liken to the Terminator, should become 'the deodoriser' and get the stink out of this budget."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/mathias-cormann-channels-arnie-in-girly-man-attack-on-bill-shorten-20141018-1181z3.html#ixzz3GSYaNI4i