Should Abbott step down?

[Rorschach]

If Paula Matthewson, a freelance communications adviser and corporate writer... ex-media advisor to John Howard in the early 90s, is using the language of the Prog Left to describe Abbott... you can be sure that in some circles of the Liberal Party there is definitely a fire.

Signs of mutiny on the Good Ship Abbott
Opinion By Paula Matthewson
Updated Mon at 9:59amMon 19 Jan 2015, 9:59am

We've known for some time that the Good Ship Abbott was in trouble, and with MPs now seemingly jostling for position could it be a case of man overboard?

That sound you hear is the whisper of Liberal Party MPs carefully shuffling around a Prime Minister who's taken on water and is listing dangerously.

They're hoping to avoid being dragged down with him into the dark waters of electoral opprobrium and are eyeing those who hope to replace the PM as potential lifeboats.

We've known for some time that the Good Ship Abbott was in trouble, partly because it was constructed using shonky policies and shattered expectations, but also because it was steered with the reckless abandon that comes from political hubris mixed with a misguided sense of entitlement.

The summer break provided an opportunity to put the ship in dry dock, replace the defective policies and adjust the political navigation system. At least that was the point of Tony Abbott's "reset" press conference and the ministry reshuffle conducted late last year.

However, it would appear that no such reset actually took place. Instead Abbott pressed on, continuing to make poor political decisions like the no-media visit to Iraq while bushfires raged in three Australian states, and even worse policy decisions like the unannounced $20 cut to the Medicare rebate.

Now a leak about the Medicare cut from the Cabinet's expenditure review committee over the weekend suggests hope is fading fast for HMAS Abbott to be successfully refloated, and that the decks are being cleared for a regime change.

Ministers are already jostling to be in the new leadership line-up, and the weekend's leak flags that Joe Hockey, the one-time heir-apparent but now only the beleaguered Treasurer, wants to be back in contention. It would also appear Hockey is unafraid to tarnish the PM's reputation while seeking to rehabilitate his own.

According to a newspaper report of the leak, Hockey and then health minister Peter Dutton "opposed the move during a 'heated' exchange with the Prime Minister" but the PM insisted on the $20 cut the Medicare rebate for short GP consults, which apparently were "developed by the Prime Minister's Office and then costed by the Department of Finance and Health".

This isn't the first time efforts have been made to shift responsibility for the budget from Hockey to Abbott, particularly by drawing attention to the PM's insistence on chairing every meeting of the Expenditure Review Committee as it put the budget together.

One well-briefed commentator wrote around that time:

The core problem with the budget is the design, and responsibility for design faults ultimately lands at the feet of the Prime Minister ... Abbott used his authority to take charge of the Government's first budget, yet he seems to be using his political skills to sidestep responsibility, leaving ownership of the document with Hockey.

Since then, the Abbott Government has begun to leak like a scuttled dinghy. Political observers have been treated to a flotilla of leaks to the media, seemingly to position ministers impatient for promotion in the best possible light, or put the case for one ambitious backbencher over another.

It would seem not even the Prime Minister's Office has been above such shenanigans, appearing to provide leaks to the media at various times to rein in potential leadership contenders such as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Another recent leak, aimed at the Treasurer and suspected to also have come from the Prime Minister's Office, was described by one press gallery stalwart as exposing the disunity, paranoia and distrust that currently exists at the highest levels of the Government.

This latest leak in Hockey's favour won't change the perception of omnishambles, nor will it dissuade voters from booting out the Abbott Government as swiftly as the Rudd-Gillard one if the rot is not soon arrested.

This certainty is what occupies the minds of the shuffling MPs.

The only factor that remains in Abbott's favour is that there's no clear front-runner to replace him. Traditionally the leadership team is agreed mostly between NSW and Victorian MPs because combined they have the most votes in the party room. Hockey re-entering the field complicates matters, but at least gives NSW MPs another option other than the invidious choice between the left's darling, Malcolm Turnbull, and the hard-right's poster boy, Scott Morrison. Victoria doesn't have a leadership contender but could supply an able deputy.

And at this point it's anyone's guess what deals the Western Australians might do with NSW or Victorian MPs to put Bishop into the top job.

What is clear is that now Abbott has apparently single-handedly botched the "reset", he'll likely be deemed unseaworthy and slated for a visit to the ships' graveyard, perhaps by mid-year.

Meantime we can expect to see a veritable ocean of leaks to the media and other forms of self-promotion as the contenders set their spyglasses on the leadership and set sail for what is guaranteed to be a deceptively perilous journey.

If the leaking continues. If the disunity become more apparent. If the shambles continues and discipline is not restored soon... then a spill is highly likely this year.

[mellie]

If Paula Matthewson, a freelance communications adviser and corporate writer... ex-media advisor to John Howard in the early 90s, is using the language of the Prog Left to describe Abbott... you can be sure that in some circles of the Liberal Party there is definitely a fire.

Signs of mutiny on the Good Ship Abbott
Opinion By Paula Matthewson
Updated Mon at 9:59amMon 19 Jan 2015, 9:59am

We've known for some time that the Good Ship Abbott was in trouble, and with MPs now seemingly jostling for position could it be a case of man overboard?

That sound you hear is the whisper of Liberal Party MPs carefully shuffling around a Prime Minister who's taken on water and is listing dangerously.

They're hoping to avoid being dragged down with him into the dark waters of electoral opprobrium and are eyeing those who hope to replace the PM as potential lifeboats.

We've known for some time that the Good Ship Abbott was in trouble, partly because it was constructed using shonky policies and shattered expectations, but also because it was steered with the reckless abandon that comes from political hubris mixed with a misguided sense of entitlement.

The summer break provided an opportunity to put the ship in dry dock, replace the defective policies and adjust the political navigation system. At least that was the point of Tony Abbott's "reset" press conference and the ministry reshuffle conducted late last year.

However, it would appear that no such reset actually took place. Instead Abbott pressed on, continuing to make poor political decisions like the no-media visit to Iraq while bushfires raged in three Australian states, and even worse policy decisions like the unannounced $20 cut to the Medicare rebate.

Now a leak about the Medicare cut from the Cabinet's expenditure review committee over the weekend suggests hope is fading fast for HMAS Abbott to be successfully refloated, and that the decks are being cleared for a regime change.

Ministers are already jostling to be in the new leadership line-up, and the weekend's leak flags that Joe Hockey, the one-time heir-apparent but now only the beleaguered Treasurer, wants to be back in contention. It would also appear Hockey is unafraid to tarnish the PM's reputation while seeking to rehabilitate his own.

According to a newspaper report of the leak, Hockey and then health minister Peter Dutton "opposed the move during a 'heated' exchange with the Prime Minister" but the PM insisted on the $20 cut the Medicare rebate for short GP consults, which apparently were "developed by the Prime Minister's Office and then costed by the Department of Finance and Health".

This isn't the first time efforts have been made to shift responsibility for the budget from Hockey to Abbott, particularly by drawing attention to the PM's insistence on chairing every meeting of the Expenditure Review Committee as it put the budget together.

One well-briefed commentator wrote around that time:

The core problem with the budget is the design, and responsibility for design faults ultimately lands at the feet of the Prime Minister ... Abbott used his authority to take charge of the Government's first budget, yet he seems to be using his political skills to sidestep responsibility, leaving ownership of the document with Hockey.

Since then, the Abbott Government has begun to leak like a scuttled dinghy. Political observers have been treated to a flotilla of leaks to the media, seemingly to position ministers impatient for promotion in the best possible light, or put the case for one ambitious backbencher over another.

It would seem not even the Prime Minister's Office has been above such shenanigans, appearing to provide leaks to the media at various times to rein in potential leadership contenders such as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Another recent leak, aimed at the Treasurer and suspected to also have come from the Prime Minister's Office, was described by one press gallery stalwart as exposing the disunity, paranoia and distrust that currently exists at the highest levels of the Government.

This latest leak in Hockey's favour won't change the perception of omnishambles, nor will it dissuade voters from booting out the Abbott Government as swiftly as the Rudd-Gillard one if the rot is not soon arrested.

This certainty is what occupies the minds of the shuffling MPs.

The only factor that remains in Abbott's favour is that there's no clear front-runner to replace him. Traditionally the leadership team is agreed mostly between NSW and Victorian MPs because combined they have the most votes in the party room. Hockey re-entering the field complicates matters, but at least gives NSW MPs another option other than the invidious choice between the left's darling, Malcolm Turnbull, and the hard-right's poster boy, Scott Morrison. Victoria doesn't have a leadership contender but could supply an able deputy.

And at this point it's anyone's guess what deals the Western Australians might do with NSW or Victorian MPs to put Bishop into the top job.

What is clear is that now Abbott has apparently single-handedly botched the "reset", he'll likely be deemed unseaworthy and slated for a visit to the ships' graveyard, perhaps by mid-year.

Meantime we can expect to see a veritable ocean of leaks to the media and other forms of self-promotion as the contenders set their spyglasses on the leadership and set sail for what is guaranteed to be a deceptively perilous journey.

If the leaking continues. If the disunity become more apparent. If the shambles continues and discipline is not restored soon... then a spill is highly likely this year.

Not necessarily Roach... remember Andrew Bolt was once a Labor advisor and worked for the Hawke Government on two election campaigns.

Now when Bolt was being critical of a Gillard and Rudd government, did you find him more or less credible based on his prior appointment with Labor?

At the end of the day, Abbott is a quiet achiever, and will have achieved much more than Rudd or Gillard did in seven years in government by next federal election, and the public will realise this.

I'm confident Abbott knows what he's doing.

The noise coming from the disaffected and dysfunctional left is pure envy.

[Neferti]

Ignore all the calls for a change in Leadership of the Coalition. Won't happen, unless they take a vote in the Party Room which is most unlikely.

Have any of you argued with your Boss, walked out, resigned, slamming the door and expect him to forgive you the next day? Doesn't happen. That is why we have those who do and the rest who follow and don't do.

[Rorschach]

It's much more likely than it was 12 months ago... Abbott is bleeding support even from within his party.
This is the Titanic needing to be turned around. The question is does he have the skills and staff that will enable him to do it. So far it doesn't seem like he does.

[mellie]

It's much more likely than it was 12 months ago... Abbott is bleeding support even from within his party.
This is the Titanic needing to be turned around. The question is does he have the skills and staff that will enable him to do it. So far it doesn't seem like he does.

Merely wishful thinking from those disaffected sour grapes i'm afraid.

It will take a lot more than that to get rid of Abbott... look what it took to get rid of Gillard and Rudd for christs sakes.

Abbotts doing fine, especially considering the mangled wreck of a Titanic he inherited from an incompetent Labor government.

The proof will be in the pudding come next federal election.

Try not to bleat neurotically from the peanut gallery until then Roach.

[Rorschach]

Abbott government's handling of university and health changes anger backbench

Date January 22, 2015 - 8:06AM
Mark Kenny and Matthew Knott

Some government MPs are frustrated with Prime Minister Tony Abbott's handling of recent policy issues.
Tony Abbott is facing growing backbench anger over his government's mishandling of the GP co-payment and university funding changes from last year's budget, as MPs returning from their electorates express frustration over the government's poor standing with voters.

Some described the atmosphere in the government as tending toward "anarchy" because the "command and control" mode by the Prime Minister's office had been shown to be politically hamfisted, prompting leaks from the cabinet, among other problems.

The higher education reforms now face an uncertain future with any savings evaporating and key Senate crossbenchers saying they remain opposed to the deregulation of university fees even if the Abbott government scraps a planned 20 per cent cut to university funding.

This follows the axing of a planned $20 cut to the Medicare payment to doctors for short consultations just days before it was due to come into effect.

Several MPs, including frontbenchers, contacted by Fairfax Media expressed dismay at the confusion over university funding cuts and deregulation plans after Treasurer Joe Hockey was reported on Tuesday as ruling out further compromises to achieve passage through the Senate, before Education Minister Christopher Pyne confirmed on Wednesday that the package was up for negotiation.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one senior Liberal said the Prime Minister had "lost the respect" of some colleagues, and another said he had "just months" to turn things around or his position was terminal.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon said on Wednesday that the government's package was in "a whole lot of trouble" while the Palmer United Party's Glenn Lazarus called on the government to abandon its policies and "move on".

"You can polish a turd for as long as you want, it's always going to be a turd," said Senator Lazarus.

The government's higher education package was originally designed to save the budget $4 billion over four years, but if the 20 per cent cut is scrapped it would instead cost an estimated $1.3 billion over the same period.

Universities have strongly opposed the 20 per cent cut and said that it would be a key driver of increased fees under a deregulated system.

Mr Pyne on Wednesday said that the government was open to reducing the funding cut if necessary to win Senate support for fee deregulation.

"We haven't said that we will necessarily not go ahead with the savings measures in higher education but they are part of our negotiations with the crossbenchers because deregulation is vitally important," Mr Pyne told ABC radio in Adelaide.

"We will do whatever needs to be done to ensure our universities are the best they can be and that our students have the best opportunities they can have to go to university."

The $4 billion saving figure for the reforms – which also includes new spending on student places at private colleges and TAFEs – was reduced to $640 million in December following concessions to Senate crossbenchers. Scrapping the funding cut altogether would reduce the savings by a further $1.9 billion over four years.

Mr Abbott said on Tuesday that the government would put higher education "front and centre" of the government's agenda when Parliament resumes in February.

When asked about the prospect of the government reaching a compromise deal, Clive Palmer told Fairfax Media: "I think it's over."

"We won't support the deregulation of fees," Mr Palmer said. "We support the idea of them not cutting funding by 20 per cent but we don't support deregulation."

Senator Xenophon said: "The government, I think, needs to step back, have a considered approach to this because right now their package is in a whole lot of trouble.

"Getting rid of the cuts might seem attractive in the short term but in the long term if you have deregulation there will be a spike in fees. I am just worried about what's on the table now. These are radical changes that need to be thought through."

Palmer United Party senator Zhenya Wang supports fee deregulation but has said he would not vote for it and vote with his colleagues, Senator Lazarus and Clive Palmer, who oppose it.

The government needs the support of six of the eight Senate crossbenchers to pass its reforms.

Vicki Thomson, chief executive of the Group of Eight universities, welcomed the government's willingness to scale back the planned funding cut and urged the Palmer United Party to continue negotiations

Deputy chief executive of Universities Australia Anne-Marie Lansdown said: "If the negotiations can scale back the $1.9 billion cut, it would be a very positive step, one that goes directly to the issue of addressing fairness and affordability for students and parents."

[Rorschach]

'World's worst salesman': Liberal voter confronts Tony Abbott during radio interview
Date January 22, 2015 - 9:29AM
James Massola
Political correspondent

Tony Abbott has been confronted by a furious Liberal voter and talkback caller who declared the Prime Minister the "world's worst salesman" and warned he was poised to hand the keys to the Lodge to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

An under-pressure Prime Minister used an interview on Fairfax radio station 3AW to warn his colleagues that the "one lesson" from the former Labor government was to not change leaders mid-term, while urging the caller, "Andrew", to help sell the government's reform message.

Mr Abbott declared it was "nonsense" to suggest he may not lead the Coalition to the next election.

Andrew described himself as a "Liberal voter through and through", but added: "I've got to be honest and truthful with you, Mr Prime Minster, you're on the nose with Liberal voters and that's a real concern to me because I don't want to see you give the keys to Bill Shorten at the Lodge.

"What are you going to do to turn it around because I have got to tell you you are the world's worst salesman, Prime Minister," he said.

Mr Abbott responded: "What is the specific problem, is there a policy thing you don't agree with?"

"Prime Minister, it's the way you do things, like the Medicare thing, with the education, you've done so many backflips, people don't know where you are going and business is saying there are roadblocks because there is no direction and no leadership … as a Liberal voter, I don't particularly like you," Andrew replied.

Mr Abbott responded that jobs growth in Victoria was strong in 2014, that economic growth had improved from 1.9 per cent in 2013 to 2.7 per cent in 2014 and that "this is a government which is doing something right".

"By all means say that we could do better at salesmanship," Mr Abbott said.

"I would rather under promise and over deliver, I would rather let the facts speak for themselves. If you look at the record, the record is a good one and, Andrew, I would welcome you going out and using your salesmanship skills, which I'm sure are considerable, to help sell the government's message."

During the interview, Mr Abbott brushed aside a Fairfax Media report on Thursday of growing backbench unrest and anger over his government's mishandling of the GP co-payment and university funding changes from last year's budget.

Some Coalition sources have described the atmosphere in the government as tending towards "anarchy" because of the "command and control" approach of the Prime Minister's office.

But on Thursday morning, Mr Abbott, while conceding the government had struggled to pass measures through the Senate, delivered a stern warning to his internal critics and defended the government's planned GP co-payment and university changes.

"If there is one lesson to be learnt from the fate of the former government in Canberra, maybe even the fate of the former government in Victoria, [it] is that you do not change leaders; you rally behind someone and you stick to the plan. We've got a good plan. We inherited a mess, we've made a good start," he said.

He urged Australians – and his colleagues – to look at the government's record of achievement in 2014, including the repeal of the carbon and mining taxes, the signing of three free-trade agreements and the stopping of asylum seeker boats.

"I think last year's record was a record of solid achievement and the important thing is to build on that," he said. Denial...

[Black Orchid]

Tony Abbott has launched a strong defence of his performance as Prime Minister, as internal criticism of his leadership mounts.

The ABC has been canvassing government MPs and senators across the country and found concern about Mr Abbott's standing with voters.

Several MPs said the Prime Minister was "toxic" in their electorates and one believed it was "game over" for him.

Mr Abbott told Fairfax Media this morning speculation that he could step down before the next election if the problems continue was "nonsense".

"You do not change leaders, you rally behind someone and you stick to the plan," he said.

"We've got a good plan, the point I keep making is we inherited a mess - we've made a good start but we are on the right track. Look at the record."

Mr Abbott also took talkback calls with the Melbourne-based station, including one from a man who identified himself as "Andrew", a "fair dinkum" Liberal voter.

"You're on the nose with Liberal voters," he told the Prime Minister.

"What are you going to do to turn it around? Because I've got to tell you you're the world's worst salesman, Prime Minister."

Mr Abbott pointed to strong job creation figures in Victoria and economic growth.

"By all means say that we could do better at salesmanship, and look I have never been a skite," he told the caller.

"I would rather under-promise and over-deliver. I would rather let the facts speak for themselves."

Speaking from the United States on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she did not think Mr Abbott was toxic.

"I don't believe that's a description that any of my colleagues would apply to the Prime Minister," she said.

"That's not a term that they use with me. The Prime Minister is leading a strong team."

Environment Minister Greg Hunt also dismissed the claims, saying he "hadn't heard that".

The Government has this week been forced to deal with reports of Cabinet disagreement between Mr Abbott and senior ministers over contentious cuts to some Medicare rebates, which were dumped last week.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-22/a ... ts/6033168

[Rorschach]

Prime Minister Tony Abbott defends leadership as disgruntled MPs voice frustration
By political editor Chris Uhlmann
Updated about an hour agoThu 22 Jan 2015, 6:09pm

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has launched a strong defence of his leadership in the face of growing internal unease about his performance.

Speaking to 3AW's Neil Mitchell, Mr Abbott said his Government had been "solid" and slapped down the possibility of a leadership change, warning that it would spell political death.

"Judge us on our record," he said.

"We said we'd get rid of the carbon tax, we did. We said we'd stop the boats, we have. We said we'd build roads and, except for the East-West link which is a local problem, that's exactly what we're getting on with."

Mr Abbott laid the blame for his Government's woes with "wreckers" in the Labor Party and an obstructive Senate.

"Compare us with the previous government. The previous government wasted billions, it jeopardised relationships with important neighbours, it restarted the people smuggling trade. Our main failing is that we've had some difficulties with the Senate."

But that is not the way some of his colleagues see it. The ABC has canvassed more than 20 per cent of the Coalition party room across five states, speaking to ministers, MPs and senators.

There are supporters and detractors of the Prime Minister but the overall mood is grim. Here is a sample:

"It's chaos. It was a scrappy end to last year and a scrappy beginning to this one. And the problem is not coming from the backbench. The problem is with the leadership."
"Everyone wants him to recover but I think it's game over as far as I can see. I don't think he can recover but there is no way we can move on him. So we're f***ed."
"I would describe the Government's performance as sub-optimal."
"Tony Abbott is toxic among our own party members. If the Queensland election goes badly Tony will be blamed."
"It's an absolute f**king mess. If there was an election Labor would romp it in."
"I think [Tony Abbott] is okay but I am hearing a lot of discontent among colleagues."
The irritation with the leader's office that was evident at the end of last year has grown over the summer and is now focused on the Prime Minister.

It was supercharged by the decision to impose, and then dump, a cut to GP rebates and many saw the leak of a Cabinet dispute over it as a very bad sign.

The ABC has independently confirmed a News Limited report that both the then-health minister Peter Dutton and Treasurer Joe Hockey opposed the idea, but the Prime Minister insisted on it.

"Dutton and Hockey are his biggest supporters, so if one of them leaked that's serious," one MP said.

Most of those the ABC spoke to simply want Mr Abbott to lift his game, but some believe it is too late and are beginning to contemplate change.

Mr Abbott said no-one had raised his performance with him, but at least one MP has put his complaint in writing, sending an email directly to the Prime Minister.

Today Mr Abbott sent a shot across the bow of anyone in his team who believed change would lift the Government's fortunes.

"If there is one lesson to be learnt from the fate of the former government in Canberra, maybe even the former government in Victoria, is you do not change leaders. You rally behind someone and you stick to the plan and we've got a good plan... the point I keep making is we inherited a mess, we've made a good start, there's a lot more to be done but we are on the right track."

Employment Minister Eric Abetz said the Prime Minister was doing "a fantastic job" getting the country back in shape and hit out at those in his ranks who backgrounded the media.

"What's the name of that person?" he said.

"They are always so brave when they don't have to give their name. This sort of backgrounding, if it is occurring, it's people who are not willing to put their names to it. Stories that are half concocted. Amazing how the lowliest backbencher becomes a senior Liberal in stories such as this."

Voters forgive leadership change, but not disunity

There is no golden rule in Australian politics damning a government party that changes leaders mid-stream to eternal political opprobrium, writes Paula Matthewson.

Mr Abbott is a long way from facing a challenge and the Coalition is loath to repeat what most see as the Original Sin of Labor: killing off a prime minister.

But some of his colleagues are sending him a message, they now believe he is their key liability and he needs to lift his game.

Parliament reconvenes on Monday, February 9. The Prime Minister's performance will be closely watched. And the most critical audience will be his own party room.

[Rorschach]

Re Abbott's changing Leaders is death ploy...

If there is a lesson for anyone in the Rudd-Gillard saga, it is actually for Abbott. Voters are more concerned about political disunity, incompetency and unmet expectations than they are about changes in the Government's leadership.