13 Other Decisions That Are A "Lifestyle Choice"

Prime Minister Tony Abbott defends comments after describing Indigenous remote living as a "lifestyle choice."

Tony Abbott is under fire from his own advisor on indigenous issues after describing living in remote communities as a "lifestyle choice".

Facebook: TonyAbbottMP

The prime minister was in Kalgoorlie yesterday speaking about the WA government's plan to close 150 remote Aboriginal settlements.

"What we can't do is endlessly subsidise lifestyle choices if those lifestyle choices are not conducive to the kind of full participation in Australian society that everyone should have," he told ABC Radio.

"In order to get kids to school and adults to work, you've got to have a school.

"If people choose to live miles away from where there's a school, if people choose not to access the school of the air, if people choose to live where there's no jobs, obviously it's very, very difficult to close the gap."

Today the leader of the PM's indigenous advisory council Warren Mundine said that Tony Abbott was wrong.

Don Arnold / WireImage

"That is a complete misconception of what it is and he's wrong in that regard," Mr Mundine told Fairfax Media.

"It is not about a lifestyle, it is not like retiring and moving for a sea change, it is about thousands of years connection, their religious beliefs and the essence of who they are."

His concerns were echoed by indigenous leaders across WA. The chairman of Djarindji community Brian Lee said "For our people, it's an obligation to your ancestors to look after your country and you have to be on your country to look after it.

"You can't do that from the city or towns that are hundreds of kilometres away from where you live."

Other Indigenous leaders have blasted Mr Abbott, with Noel Pearson describing the comments as “shameless” and a “disgraceful turn of events”.

Mick Gooda @MickGooda

Our mob who live on homelands have custodianship, they have responsibilities for caring for country #lifestylechoice

04:02 AM - 11 Mar 2015

Senator Nova Peris @NovaPeris

There's a good living to be made out on country but PM Abbott is too lazy and too inept to see it! #lifestylechoice #auspol

01:23 PM - 10 Mar 2015

Despite the backlash from his own indigenous leaders, the prime minister refused to back down today, telling Macquarie Radio's Alan Jones that he was just being realistic.

Tracey Nearmy / AAP

"If you or I chose to live in very remote place, to what extent is the taxpayer obliged to subsidise our services? And I think this is a very real question," he said.

"It is incredibly difficult for the kids to go to school if there's only half a dozen of them and getting teachers there is all but impossible.

"Similarly it's very difficult for adults to get a proper job if there's no employment within hundreds of miles."

Labor has demanded the prime minister publically apologise, with opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Shayne Neumann describing the comments as "deeply disturbing and highly offensive".

Tracey Nearmy / AAP

Neumann told AAP "This is a prime minister who doesn't understand the importance of these people to their connectivity to their land."

Greens senator Rachel Siewert described his comments as "unbelievably racist" and Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer said it was "so inappropriate its laughable" and showed a profound misunderstanding of Aboriginal culture.

Now people on social media are expressing their anger by pondering what decisions made by politicians could also be deemed #lifestylechoices.

1.

Toni Nicho @toninicho

Making yourself minister for women then ignoring the role. #lifestylechoice

12:03 PM - 10 Mar 2015

2.

Tom Gleeson @nonstoptom

Indigenous Australia subsidised Britain's 'lifestyle choice' to live in remote parts of the world.

11:02 PM - 10 Mar 2015

3.

James W.W. Rose @jwwr

When a government minister, responsible for the wellbeing of an entire people, can't distinguish between Culture and #LifeStyleChoice.

10:40 AM - 10 Mar 2015

4.

JRB @JRBSays

Accepting scholarships for your kids education when you are in the top 20% of earners. #lifestylechoice #auspol @TonyAbbottMHR

10:15 AM - 10 Mar 2015

5.

Jackie McMillan @MissDissentEats

Remodelling The Lodge is a #LifestyleChoice @TonyAbbottMHR so I don't see why I should pay millions for that. #auspol #toxictony

09:10 AM - 10 Mar 2015

6.

Grumplestiltskin @2FBS

Going to a billionaire's wedding and claiming travel allowance #LifestyleChoice

10:23 PM - 10 Mar 2015

7.

Lindsay Bordas @Herbie_planeguy

I would expect all govt funding to be withdrawn from religious schools given they are a lifestyle choice.#LifestyleChoice #auspoI

09:36 AM - 10 Mar 2015

8.

James W.W. Rose @jwwr

#LifeStyleChoice

09:14 AM - 10 Mar 2015

9.

Nathan Lee @NathanLee

$20k+ a year private schools sure seem like a bit of a luxury #lifestyleChoice @TonyAbbottMHR - stop subsidising those first maybe? #auspol

08:32 AM - 10 Mar 2015

10.

Tim Ferguson @RealTimFerguson

BREAKING: Surviving Australia For 70,000 Years Was A 'Lifestyle Choice' #auspol #lifestylechoice #LifestyleChoices #oops

09:03 PM - 10 Mar 2015

11.

PrincessPooket @JBPooket

Do we stop farming subsidies now because farmers choosing to stay on unproductive land are exercising a #lifestylechoice ?

11:20 PM - 10 Mar 2015

12.

Minister for Women @Minister4Women

If people make the lifestyle choice of being Aboriginal, they probably should have also decided to be born into a wealthy family. #auspol

10:01 PM - 10 Mar 2015

13.

Scott Bridges @s_bridges

@TonyAbbottMHR is being a massive dickhead a lifestyle choice?

07:01 AM - 10 Mar 2015