Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in Question Time in the House of Representatives Chamber, Parliament House in Canberra. Source: The Daily Telegraph
SOBER sailors have finally had enough of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's repeated use of the insulting phrase "spending like drunken sailors".
Royal Australian Navy staff from Admirals in the corridors of power in Canberra to seamen on mess decks around the nation are sick and tired of Mr Abbott repeatedly comparing Labor's fiscal policy to a "drunken sailor''.
"It is not reflective of where the Navy is today,'' one source said.
The days of sailors coming ashore to spend their money in bars and bordellos have long since past according to modern day seamen and women.
The phrase is one of the Opposition Leader's favourites and an analysis of his media interviews during the past two years reveals a pattern of regular use across the nation.
Senior Navy officers have urged Tony Abbott not to use the phrase "drunken sailors" as it doesn't fit with the image they are trying to portray of the modern-day professional. Picture: Braden Fastier
According to Urban Dictionary, it means to spend a lot of money at one time and its taken from the fact that sailors, while on shore leave, used to spend all of their money on "whores and alcoholic beverages''.
Senior Navy officers have implored Mr Abbott to tone it down because it doesn't fit with the image they are trying to portray of the modern-day Navy professional as a sensitive, well-behaved individual.
"We are not like that any more,'' a Navy source said.
"It is not an image that is reflective of the current force or ideals.''
Former Chief of the Navy, retired Vice-Admiral David Shackleton, said he could understand that the Navy would not be happy with Mr Abbott's use of the "drunken sailor'' analogy, but he said history could not be changed.
"Sailors in the past were known for going ashore and getting drunk and partying,'' he said.
"History tarred the navy with that term and you can't re-write history, but eventually they might think of something else.
"Maybe he [Abbott] is talking about the Royal Navy.''
Despite occasional hiccups, such as the HMAS Success ship of shame when drunken sailors had sex and wrecked bars in Asia, the modern-day Navy is, according to senior officers at least, a fairly sober workplace.
"You always find the occasional idiot, but generally speaking sailors do not behave like that,'' a source said.
The perceived insult came to a head last week when The Australian newspaper published a cartoon portraying Treasurer Wayne Swan as a drunken sailor withdrawing cash from at ATM.
It is understood that Mr Abbott will be asked informally to find another phrase to use when he is attacking government spending.
TONY ABBOTT AND DRUNKEN SAILORS
"Because the current federal Labor Government has been spending like a drunken sailor.'' Doorstop interview Townsville August 2, 2010
"They started spending like drunken sailors.'' ABC 7.30 Report, August 10, 2010
"When the Government is spending like a drunken sailor they've got to get the money from somewhere.'' Radio 4RO Rockhampton, August 18, 2010
"When you've got a Government which is spending like a drunken sailor.'' Radio 5AA, November 3, 2010
"It spends money like a drunken sailor but it doesn't fix problems.'' Doorstop interviews Manly West, December 4, 2010
"The Howard Government wasn't spending money like drunken sailors.'' Interview Radio MTR, January 31, 2011
"Everyone knows that this is a government which has been spending like a drunken sailor.'' Doorstop interview Salt Creek, SA, April 29, 2013
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