A one-time colleague has come to the defence of former PM Tony Abbott after he was labelled a misogynistic, homophobic climate-denier.
Mr Abbott has come under heavy scrutiny after it emerged he was being lined up for a senior trade role in Britain.
He has also been criticised for suggesting older people should be left to die from coronavirus, to spare younger generations from the economic burden.
Senior Coalition minister Mathias Cormann, who served under Mr Abbott, said he had a distinguished record.
“From where I sit, Tony Abbott is clearly a giant of Australian politics who has made a great contribution over a long time,” Senator Cormann told Sky News on Friday.
“Not everyone will agree with him, but people are entitled to their views, and that’s the way things work in a democracy.”
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The British government is under pressure to dump Mr Abbott from the trade role, even before his official appointment.
Scotland’s leader, Nicola Sturgeon, has described him as a “misogynist” and a “sexist” and in the latest awkward encounter for a government minister, Health Secretary Matt Hancock was forced to defend Mr Abbott’s conduct on Britain’s Sky News.
Conservative MP Caroline Nokes has also condemned the expected appointment.
“This is such a bad idea, I’m not sure I can come up with words for how awful I think it is,” she told the BBC on Tuesday.
Mr Abbott has previously said he felt threatened by homosexuality, opposed same-sex marriage, and was accused of misogyny by fellow former prime minister Julia Gillard.
-with AAP
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