When is a snivelling grub not a snivelling grub?

Tony Abbott






Snivelling Grub






Labor frontbencher Julia Gillard has been ordered out of the House of Representatives after calling Health Minister Tony Abbott a "snivelling grub".Mr Abbott had introduced laws paving the way for key changes to private health insurance.
But Ms Gillard, the manager of Opposition business in the lower house, interrupted his speech on the merits of the Bill.
"I move that that snivelling grub over there be not further heard," she said.
The Speaker of the House, David Hawker, asked Ms Gillard to withdraw the comment, to which she responded: "If I have offended grubs I withdraw unconditionally."
But Mr Hawker was not satisfied and asked her to withdraw "without reservation".
Ms Gillard insisted she had acted in accordance with the Speaker's ruling yesterday that Mr Abbott withdraw similar comments he made about Labor frontbencher Kelvin Thomson last week.
But Mr Hawker was not happy, and Mr Abbott asked that his Opposition counterpart be ordered from the chamber.
With an overwhelming majority in the lower house, Coalition MPs voted to remove Ms Gillard.
Under the ruling, she cannot return for 24 hours.

Answer. When you have a majority in Parliament.

Politics in Australia is just so highbrow.