Abbott blasted for St Pat's video message

A video recorded by the prime minister has been criticised on social media by some unimpressed by its message and its similarity to one last year.

It's almost exactly the same message but this year, Tony Abbott has raised the ire of the Irish with a "patronising" St Patrick's Day video.

The prime minister appears in a new video wishing revellers well for the March 17 celebration, which he describes as "the one day of the year when it's good to be green".

He then flashes a green tie he's donned for the occasion.

But it's a controversial line about heritage that has left the Irish unimpressed.

"It's been said of us that the English made the laws, the Scots made the money, and the Irish made the songs," the prime minister says.

The Irish media's response to the video was summed up in two words.

"Oh please," The Irish Examiner wrote.

Some took to social media to criticise Mr Abbott.

"A bloke who just awarded a knighthood to a British Monarch celebrating St. Patrick's Day?? You can't make this s*** up!" (sic) one wrote on Facebook.

They're also unhappy the message is almost identical to one recorded last year, in which Mr Abbott shows off a green tie and repeats similar remarks.

Irish media, including the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner, have run stories about how the video was patronising.

"Preparations for St Patrick's Day events in Australia turned controversial today," the Irish Times reports.

The Irish Echo, a newspaper written for Irish expats in Australia, was one of the first to release the video.

"We approached the PM's office to ask if he was attending any St Patrick's Day events ... and one of his staffers sent back a link to this video and said `have a look at this," the paper's founding editor, Billy Cantwell, told AAP.

Mr Cantwell said the video was indicative of the disengagement between the governments of the two countries.

"We'll hear a lot this week about how this country is the most Irish country outside of Ireland, but really ... it's been almost 10 years now since there's been a prime ministerial or a presidential visit in either direction.

"There seems to be a disconnect that can't just be explained by the tyranny of distance and that's sad," Cantwell said.

"I think our politicians need to work harder on that and our diplomats need to work harder on that because there's enormous common ground there."


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Source: AAP


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