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Peta Credlin says Tony Abbott motivated by frustration and 'is not going anywhere' Peta Credlin says Tony Abbott motivated by frustration and 'is not going anywhere'
(about 3 hours later)
Tony Abbott will not stop his insurgency against Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership because the Liberal party is in trouble and needs to become more conservative to win the next election, Peta Credlin has warned.Tony Abbott will not stop his insurgency against Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership because the Liberal party is in trouble and needs to become more conservative to win the next election, Peta Credlin has warned.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph on Sunday, Abbott’s former chief of staff claimed that Abbott was attempting to “hold the Liberal party together” in the face of a surge in One Nation support, despite the fact his party colleagues universally bucketed his intervention. Writing in the Daily Telegraph on Sunday, Abbott’s former chief of staff claimed that Abbott was attempting to “hold the Liberal party together” in the face of a surge in One Nation support, despite his party colleagues’ near-universal opposition to his intervention.
The former Abbott loyalist Mathias Cormann warned on Sunday that the former prime minister now risks his legacy if his destabilisation continues.The former Abbott loyalist Mathias Cormann warned on Sunday that the former prime minister now risks his legacy if his destabilisation continues.
On Thursday Abbott set out a conservative manifesto to cut immigration, slash the renewable energy target, abolish the Human Rights Commission and gut the capacity of the Senate to be a roadblock to the government’s agenda.On Thursday Abbott set out a conservative manifesto to cut immigration, slash the renewable energy target, abolish the Human Rights Commission and gut the capacity of the Senate to be a roadblock to the government’s agenda.
Senior cabinet ministers were outraged at his criticism that the government was drifting to defeat, with Cormann labelling it a “self-indulgent” and “deliberately destructive” intervention.Senior cabinet ministers were outraged at his criticism that the government was drifting to defeat, with Cormann labelling it a “self-indulgent” and “deliberately destructive” intervention.
On Sunday, Credlin focused on the view of grassroots members who she said “despair at what’s happening in Canberra and the way the Coalition has squandered its 2013 landslide victory” and believe the government was not focused on “ordinary people”.On Sunday, Credlin focused on the view of grassroots members who she said “despair at what’s happening in Canberra and the way the Coalition has squandered its 2013 landslide victory” and believe the government was not focused on “ordinary people”.
“The Liberal party is in real trouble,” she said, citing the Coalition’s 35-point primary vote and that Labor was favourite to win the election.“The Liberal party is in real trouble,” she said, citing the Coalition’s 35-point primary vote and that Labor was favourite to win the election.
Credlin claimed that supporters of both Abbott and Turnbull are “still angry at the removal of an election prime minister and the Coalition’s plummeting fortunes ever since”.Credlin claimed that supporters of both Abbott and Turnbull are “still angry at the removal of an election prime minister and the Coalition’s plummeting fortunes ever since”.
Abbott’s former chief of staff said he had acted out of “unmasked frustration” that, after he won 25 seats off Labor, Turnbull had “thrown away” 14 seats at the election.Abbott’s former chief of staff said he had acted out of “unmasked frustration” that, after he won 25 seats off Labor, Turnbull had “thrown away” 14 seats at the election.
Credlin said Pauline Hanson was “the real winner”, with One Nation benefiting from Coalition voters walking – or running – to the conservative populist party.Credlin said Pauline Hanson was “the real winner”, with One Nation benefiting from Coalition voters walking – or running – to the conservative populist party.
The drift to populist parties is strongest in western democracies where the centre-right is “reluctant to take on potent social issues such as immigration, identity politics and Islamic fundamentalism”, she said.The drift to populist parties is strongest in western democracies where the centre-right is “reluctant to take on potent social issues such as immigration, identity politics and Islamic fundamentalism”, she said.
Credlin said that while the Liberal party had both a liberal and conservative tradition, “its greatest success has come when it’s governed with conservative instincts”.Credlin said that while the Liberal party had both a liberal and conservative tradition, “its greatest success has come when it’s governed with conservative instincts”.
Credlin reasserted Abbott’s right as a former prime minister and backbencher to outline what the Coalition needs to do win back support.Credlin reasserted Abbott’s right as a former prime minister and backbencher to outline what the Coalition needs to do win back support.
Although Abbott’s colleagues said his intervention had gone too far, some endorsed his policy ideas, such as Craig Kelly who backed the call to wind back the renewable energy target and cut the immigration rate to boost housing affordability.Although Abbott’s colleagues said his intervention had gone too far, some endorsed his policy ideas, such as Craig Kelly who backed the call to wind back the renewable energy target and cut the immigration rate to boost housing affordability.
Credlin said it “would have been easier for everyone” if Abbott had given his counsel in private but suggested the outburst was necessary because Turnbull no longer listened to him.Credlin said it “would have been easier for everyone” if Abbott had given his counsel in private but suggested the outburst was necessary because Turnbull no longer listened to him.
“Tony Abbott is not going anywhere despite attempts to buy him off with a taxpayer job to leave the parliament,” she said, adding that it was too late to give him a frontbench role, something Turnbull has refused to do.“Tony Abbott is not going anywhere despite attempts to buy him off with a taxpayer job to leave the parliament,” she said, adding that it was too late to give him a frontbench role, something Turnbull has refused to do.
Credlin said that Coalition supporters “don’t believe Malcolm Turnbull has a conservative bone in his body” and regarded him as inauthentic.Credlin said that Coalition supporters “don’t believe Malcolm Turnbull has a conservative bone in his body” and regarded him as inauthentic.
She claimed Turnbull was desperate “to hold on to power” whereas Abbott was “desperate to hold the Liberal party together”.She claimed Turnbull was desperate “to hold on to power” whereas Abbott was “desperate to hold the Liberal party together”.
Addressing the perception she acted as a proxy for Abbott in attacking Turnbull, Credlin stressed that she had not worked for him for 18 months and was “not his keeper”.Addressing the perception she acted as a proxy for Abbott in attacking Turnbull, Credlin stressed that she had not worked for him for 18 months and was “not his keeper”.
On Sunday, Cormann said he was prompted to slap down Abbott because “private messages hadn’t been heeded” and it was important to send a message that “enough was enough”.On Sunday, Cormann said he was prompted to slap down Abbott because “private messages hadn’t been heeded” and it was important to send a message that “enough was enough”.
Cormann said he was a proud member of the Abbott government but warned that “it’s harder to reflect on all the positive parts of the Abbott legacy when we’ve got to deal with some of those issues that emerged again on Thursday night”.Cormann said he was a proud member of the Abbott government but warned that “it’s harder to reflect on all the positive parts of the Abbott legacy when we’ve got to deal with some of those issues that emerged again on Thursday night”.
Cormann repeated that he didn’t see any scenario in which Abbott could return to the leadership.Cormann repeated that he didn’t see any scenario in which Abbott could return to the leadership.
He said that John Howard, who lost his seat at the 2007 election and refrained from criticism of his successors as Liberal leader, had “set the benchmark” for how a former prime minister can contribute.He said that John Howard, who lost his seat at the 2007 election and refrained from criticism of his successors as Liberal leader, had “set the benchmark” for how a former prime minister can contribute.
The shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, told the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday that the government was “dysfunctional” and was not governing effectively.The shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, told the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday that the government was “dysfunctional” and was not governing effectively.
Bowen said Turnbull had failed to shift the centre of gravity in the Coalition from the conservative right to the “sensible centre” of Australian politics.Bowen said Turnbull had failed to shift the centre of gravity in the Coalition from the conservative right to the “sensible centre” of Australian politics.
“[Turnbull] was elected because many in the sensible centre thought he ... would be a better prime minister than Tony Abbott. He has failed.”“[Turnbull] was elected because many in the sensible centre thought he ... would be a better prime minister than Tony Abbott. He has failed.”
Bowen promised that Labor had learned its lessons after the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era.Bowen promised that Labor had learned its lessons after the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era.
“They didn’t learn our lessons. This is a movie that has been played out before ... They simply are replaying the movie.”“They didn’t learn our lessons. This is a movie that has been played out before ... They simply are replaying the movie.”