A RADIO interview, a wink and a “draconian austerity” budget have earned Tony Abbott the title of “one of the world’s most unpopular Prime Ministers” from a major US newspaper.

The now famous eye movement prompted by caller ‘Gloria’ who works as a phone sex worker to make ends meet has gone global.

In an article which appears on The Washington Post homepage, the Prime Minister is accused of going from “one scandal to the next”.

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It chronicles the ABC interview in which Mr Abbott was confronted by the 67-year-old Victorian pensioner and his reaction.

How Australia’s Tony Abbott became one of the world’s most unpopular prime ministers http://t.co/IB3y3NS87R http://t.co/qm3Z4iVoIV — Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: How Australia’s Tony Abbott became one of the world’s most unpopular prime ministers http://t.co/IB3y3NS87R http://t.co/qm3Z4iVoIV— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: How Australia’s Tony Abbott became one of the world’s most unpopular prime ministers http://t.co/IB3y3NS87R http://t.co/qm3Z4iVoIV— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 22, 2014

“Abbott, who took office last September, then smirked for the briefest of moments and winked — unleashing a tidal wave of criticism, tweets and headlines,” Terrence McCoy writes.

“This, of course, is nothing new for Tony Abbott, who’s quickly becoming one of the world’s most hated prime ministers.”

But the article doesn’t end there, going on to attack the government’s recent budget which it describes in harsh terms.

“He just unveiled a draconian austerity budget that analysts call the most extreme and least popular of the past four decades in Australia.

“His approval rating has plunged to 30 per cent.”

Mr Abbott has also been warned to keep his winking” out of diplomacy, with the infamous gesture now also making headlines in Indonesia.

The Jakarta Post newspaper said his wink could be seen as suggestive of arrogance.

In its editorial on Friday, titled `Abbott’s wink: what’s the joke?’, the influential English-language newspaper noted, “In the eyes of many Indonesians, the PM is not averse to being insensitive.”

Relations between Indonesia and Australia quickly deteriorated after Abbott came to power, as he demonstrated he was going to be much tougher with his neighbour than the Labor Party had been. In doing so, he is perceived by many Indonesians to be extremely arrogant.

Treasurer Joe Hockey denied The Washington Post coverage was “damaging” as he tries to sell the Budget.

“No, because I think it was The New York Post that praised it as a magnificent Budget and an illustration of what Governments got to do around the world to prevent going down the path of austerity measures,” the Treasurer told reporters in Perth.

“So you have one editorial from one newspaper, I’ll have another editorial from another newspaper.

“What matters is the policy.”

Mr Abbott has also had to confront another “scandal”, the newspaper claims, referring to his daughter’s $60,000 design school scholarship.

“Team Abbott said she snared the scholarship on merit alone, but classmates question that assertion,” it says.

The PM’s previous comments on climate change and his decision to restore the “honorific title” of “dame” also get a mention, as well as an “irreverent hashtag” #MorePopularThanAbbott.

The article comes ahead of a planned visit to the US next month, during which Mr Abbott expects to sit down with President Barack Obama.







Well, it's always nice to see Australia make the international news...I think...; http://t.co/aYBXJNeHXw — Jane Caro (@JaneCaro) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Well, it's always nice to see Australia make the international news...I think...; http://t.co/aYBXJNeHXw— Jane Caro (@JaneCaro) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Well, it's always nice to see Australia make the international news...I think...; http://t.co/aYBXJNeHXw— Jane Caro (@JaneCaro) May 22, 2014









And Al Jazeera America has dubbed Abbott “Australia’s George Bush”.

In an opinion piece published on their website, Melbourne-based writer Tom Burns says Bush and Abbott have similar political tactics and policies and claims both are deeply religious.

“At a religious convention, Bush once claimed that God wanted him to be president. Although Abbott has never presumed a divine right to rule, at one stage of his life, he trained to be a Jesuit priest. (This is particularly unusual in Australia given its relative irreligiosity compared to the US),” Burns writes.

The Huffington Post branded the PM a “creep” and quoted Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young calling him a “grub”.

It’s not the first time Tony Abbott has come out looking a villain to the international community.

Julia Gillard won global support for the now infamous misogyny speech in which she turned allegations of sexism against then Speaker Peter Slipper back against then Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

“I say to the Leader of the Opposition I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man (Mr Abbott),’’ Gillard said at the time.

“I will not. And the Government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever.’’

And at one point she sneered at Mr Abbott, saying he was “now looking at his watch because apparently a woman’s spoken too long’’.



MORE REACTION ON TWITTER BELOW

Abbott is now a global embarrassment. http://t.co/UfMELcAjlg #auspol — CFMEU National (@CFMEU_National) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Abbott is now a global embarrassment. http://t.co/UfMELcAjlg #auspol— CFMEU National (@CFMEU_National) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: Abbott is now a global embarrassment. http://t.co/UfMELcAjlg #auspol— CFMEU National (@CFMEU_National) May 22, 2014

You know you're doing something wrong when the Washington Post gets Abbott in its sight: http://t.co/2nLP05d3WH. #auspol #winkgate — Claire Porter (@ClaireRPorter) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: You know you're doing something wrong when the Washington Post gets Abbott in its sight: http://t.co/2nLP05d3WH. #auspol #winkgate— Claire Porter (@ClaireRPorter) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: You know you're doing something wrong when the Washington Post gets Abbott in its sight: http://t.co/2nLP05d3WH. #auspol #winkgate— Claire Porter (@ClaireRPorter) May 22, 2014

WaPo on the embarrassment that is our PM: How Australia’s Abbott became one of world’s most unpopular prime ministers http://t.co/un5qInHPmd — Jen Robinson (@suigenerisjen) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: WaPo on the embarrassment that is our PM: How Australia’s Abbott became one of world’s most unpopular prime ministers http://t.co/un5qInHPmd— Jen Robinson (@suigenerisjen) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: WaPo on the embarrassment that is our PM: How Australia’s Abbott became one of world’s most unpopular prime ministers http://t.co/un5qInHPmd— Jen Robinson (@suigenerisjen) May 22, 2014

The Washington Post makes global laughing stock of Tony Abbott PM."One of the Worlds Most Unpopular PMs"#auspol http://t.co/7CqfrKa8K2 — chris murphy (@chrismurphys) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: The Washington Post makes global laughing stock of Tony Abbott PM."One of the Worlds Most Unpopular PMs"#auspol http://t.co/7CqfrKa8K2— chris murphy (@chrismurphys) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: The Washington Post makes global laughing stock of Tony Abbott PM."One of the Worlds Most Unpopular PMs"#auspol http://t.co/7CqfrKa8K2— chris murphy (@chrismurphys) May 22, 2014

@propinqua The wink, (with or without nod), leers, gropes, sly kisses, wall punches - all now owned by "our" C-grade PM-thing. — Innocent Bystander (@text_appeal) May 23, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @propinqua The wink, (with or without nod), leers, gropes, sly kisses, wall punches - all now owned by "our" C-grade PM-thing.— Innocent Bystander (@text_appeal) May 23, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: @propinqua The wink, (with or without nod), leers, gropes, sly kisses, wall punches - all now owned by "our" C-grade PM-thing.— Innocent Bystander (@text_appeal) May 23, 2014

We trudge through the dumbest epoch ever and endure the worst PM ever. Abbott is just our stupidity made manifest. pic.twitter.com/6XOFlhIc6P — Tim Jones (@forthleft) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: We trudge through the dumbest epoch ever and endure the worst PM ever. Abbott is just our stupidity made manifest. pic.twitter.com/6XOFlhIc6P— Tim Jones (@forthleft) May 22, 2014 Sub-type: comment CAPTION: We trudge through the dumbest epoch ever and endure the worst PM ever. Abbott is just our stupidity made manifest. pic.twitter.com/6XOFlhIc6P— Tim Jones (@forthleft) May 22, 2014