Ex-PM Abbott has stated he wants to stay in Parliament for another six years. Abbott is quoted in an ‘exclusive’ interview with Fairfax:
“…he had no intention of spending less time on the national stage, and predicted Liberal Party forces plotting to oust him from the blue ribbon Sydney seat of Warringah would “struggle” to find a candidate to beat him.”
Maybe Abbott should stop ‘for a nanosecond’ and consider that almost a third of his local pre-selection gathering voted for a vacant chair instead of him a few weeks ago as their representative in the upcoming election. Perhaps the saying that cemeteries around the world are full of indispensable people is somewhat appropriate here as well.
Apparently, in Abbott’s mind, he is going to be drafted back into the leadership ‘to rebuild the party’ after an election loss. The problem with this concept is that it seems that there is a cultural war going on in the Liberal Party within New South Wales. According to Fairfax
“The left and right tug of war that ripped apart the Coalition in Canberra last month is also playing out locally in the branches. In a carefully executed sweep through Sydney’s northern beaches and northern suburbs, moderate forces have spent the last three years overthrowing conservative incumbents.
Backed by kingmaker lobbyist Michael Photios, the march towards Manly has seen Jason Falinski oust Bronwyn Bishop in Mackellar, and Trent Zimmerman defeat the conservatives’ John Hart to replace Joe Hockey in North Sydney. Moderate Felicity Wilson also won preselection for the state seat of North Shore, and James Griffin defeated conservative challengers to replace Baird in Manly. In two of those fights, the moderates fended off a push from Abbott’s ally, Walter Villatora.”
Admittedly, pre-selection battles are what politicians do — after all, they are in politics. However Abbott spent the last few years since he was rolled by Turnbull sniping and backstabbing despite a promise not to; Turnbull is tweeting comments that Abbott is very right wing from his bolt hole overlooking Central Park in New York; someone is leaking damaging, if not incriminating information about Abbott’s stalking horse, Peter Dutton, in the August leadership spill — it’s not all beer and skittles in the Liberal Party.
In 1955, the ALP split over conceptual and religious issues. The 1950’s issue was claimed to be communism. Today the Liberal Party has issues with determining a process around climate change, which is probably a trojan horse to determine which group in the party should have control. The National Museum of Australia describes the events of the ALP split in far more detail than we have space to do so. The result of the split was that the Coalition remained in power until 1972 under a succession of Prime Ministers — some better than others. An overtone to the ALP split was religion, with the largely Catholic conservatives who were caught up in the machinations leaving the ALP to form the DLP, who claim all the heritage of the ALP until 1955 to this day but generally suggest their voters preference the conservative side of politics. And they still blame the ‘communists’ around 1955 ALP Leader ‘Doc’ Evatt for the split!
In the 2018 Liberal Party, it seems that the more conservative members of Parliament claim to be religious, most of them are against any policy position (and haven’t there been a few) on reducing climate change — aka trying to ensure there is a natural environment for our kids and their kids. Abbott wears his Catholic affiliations with pride while current PM Morrison proudly proclaims his membership of a Pentecostal Church. They are both also more conservative than people like Turnbull. As an aside, it beggars belief that both Abbott and Morrison continued to inflict inhumane treatment on refugees while apparently following the teachings of a God that entreats his followers to do unto others as you wish them to do unto you.
Anyway, how does all this relate to Abbott wanting to stay in Parliament and retain his presence on the national stage? It’s simple really — Abbott has signalled he wants to be around for six years. Given his history to date, he will not stop sniping and backstabbing anyone in politics (including his own side) should he feel it necessary.
The left and right tug of war referred to above is not solely a construct of the rarefied air on Capital Hill but is also evident in the New South Wales branch of the Liberal Party at least, and maybe others as well. In times as recent as Howard’s Prime Ministership, internal Liberal Party wars were kept internal. Now the warfare is open and nasty. How much longer can the Federal body keep warring sections of state branches inside the same tent?
If Abbott and his group continue to snipe and backstab their own side for another six years, an election loss for the Coalition is more probable in 2018 or 2019 and a disunited party is hardly likely to be re-elected three years later — just ask Kevin Rudd. The recriminations of losing power will likely commence full out nuclear war between the left and right factions of the Liberal Party — with the probability of more smaller parties starting up similar to Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives. Should the nuclear winter be prolonged and a number of small conservative parties all claiming ‘Liberal Party’ roots and philosophy exist to split the conservative vote, the Liberal Party could be potentially out of power for a generation, just as the ALP was from 1949 until 1972. If it happens, Abbott must take a lot of the ‘credit’.
What do you think?
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We look forward to a prolonged nuclear war among the Liarbals so that the political forces working for the benefit of Australian voters might get the opportunity to legislate changes to media ownership laws, bank regulation, climate change, working hours and penalty rates plus correcting the present imbalance between funding for third rate child minding private schools and the much superior academic state schools.
New England Cocky, ya dreamin’!
When the time is propitious (ie the dust has settled for a week or so) and a “snap” election is called, the media, including the ABC, will gradually find all sorts of beaut things about the coalition and, amazingly, we’ll be reminded of Labor’s warts … repeatedly. The two party preferred figures will gradually narrow as election day approaches stimulating bouyant shouts of confidence and simulated mateship from a, now, absolutely united strong, going forward, “we’ve learned our lesson”, “we’ve balanced the budget” superior financial managers..
Abbott’s family and friends should be advising him to think about a new direction in his life. He has achieved the highest office in the land but clearly he was not suited for that role and he has nothing more to offer us in the parliament.
Get on with your life Tony !
I could think of a surefire way for the Liberals/NP to win the next election. It involves a full state funeral for a deceased former leader. The key is how to make it happen.
Out of power for a generation ?? How good would that be? Bring it on.
Conservatism has had near six years to show its form and what a tragedy it has generated. Out the door they go.
I doubt they will ever see power again given the seriousness of the changing climate and the accelerating feed-back loops that are emerging.
Good riddance Liberal party, your time has elapsed and most of us don’t want you around any more.
When Turnbull replaced Abbott, what really changed? Yes, I know, the policy pig had a different shade of lipstick and for a time the electorate went back to sleep. Safe hands had arrived and it allowed Turnbull to win what was otherwise and unwinnable election with Abbott at the helm.
Strategically, progressives should rejoice that Abbott is in a safe seat, determined to remain and lead a very effective fifth column. Now don’t go handing out any more lipstick. Tony looks fine just the way he is.
Sure he’s a slow learner. Just don’t follow his example – be strategic and think of the bigger (long-term) picture.
For Australia’s sake – for our children’s futures sake – the rapacious, malicious, dysfunctional LNP must be cast out of government and kept out.
Dare to dream, twenty three years of the LNP in the wilderness. That would be karma!
Well good riddance to the lot of them. The ALP and LNP are the same cancer killing of our hopes and freedoms for the future.
Just give me a party that follows our Constitutions of Australia 1901 to show at least respect to the voters and that they they actually work for us the Men and Women of Australia and not the Bankers or U.S masters. Theses too party’s have forever lost my vote.
Go GAP.
Abbott has to stay in parliament. Who in their right mind in the private sector would employ this goose?
“apparently following the teachings of a God that entreats his followers to do unto others as you wish them to do unto you.”
Maybe they want to be locked up in gulags, have their penalty rates and pensions cut and pay too much for Electricity, fuel, education, health services and food.
Exactly Mike W … most politicians retire on generous public-funded super the likes of which only CEO’S receive. The problem with Tony is he’s so disruptive and toxic, no company would have him on their boards, it would cause shareholder upsets and loss of share value. Abbott has no potential anywhere so his only chance to keep himself in the lifestyle he’s accustomed to is by sucking on the public teat for as long as possible. Toxic Tony … from beginning to end
Someone felt sorry for him in the past after he left the seminary. Gave him a manager’s job in a cement yard. Within weeks all staff walked out. First time in the history of the manufacturer. Did as poorly at a journalist.
CJWard: We don’t want that to happen. We want a complete demolition of this toxic IPA-led party, so that it is forced to rethink and rebuild.
Please be aware that the oligarchs and “donors”, who like to run things no matter who is in power will try their best to buy off the Labor govt. If they are given decades in which to do it, they will succeed. Labor must be forced, by popular demand, to ensure that we limit the reach of lobbyists and donors. And it is simple for an incoming govt. to reverse all those just as Tony Abbott did. So what can we do?
I would recommend putting certain things into the constitution, even though it is hard. Given enough momentum and discussion, it can be done. And who would oppose it? They can be discredited easily once the stranglehold of the MSM has been broken. That can be done too, and the internet is our friend, if used carefully.
heheheheh 😀 Florence, I hadn’t heard of that. It’s easy to imagine Phoney Tony getting up people’s noses so badly that everybody walks out. He really is an insensitive prick.
Miriam, here it is in Tony’s own words…..
My next dealing with the union was when I was briefly managing a concrete batching plant for Pioneer, and I got the company ideology – this is in the late 80s – this is in 1988. The ideology of the company was, in those days, was that the concrete industry had been run for far too long for the benefit of the owner-drivers and not enough for the benefit of the company and its shareholders – and we had to change that. So, like an obedient young fella I got to the plant in the morning, marched up and down the line of trucks like a Prussian army officer, telling owner-drivers who had been in the industry for longer than I had been alive, that that truck was too dirty, and that truck was filthy, and that truck had a leaking valve and had to be fixed.
Naturally enough, this wasn’t very popular, and I had been there a couple of months, and a phone call came through one morning from the quarry manager, saying that there was going to be a strike starting at midday, so can we put a bit of stuff on the road to you. And I said sure, send me as much as you’ve got. I’ll use it. I can keep my plant open for longer than I otherwise might.
I didn’t think anymore about it. All these trucks turn up at about 4 o’clock in the afternoon with gravel and sand and aggregate, wanting to dump it. And I couldn’t dump it without running material from the ground bins up to the overhead bins. It took me about half an hour to figure out how to turn the conveyor belt on because all the staff had gone home. I finally got it going; the materials were dumped; I went home feeling that I had done my job well. A phone call came through at 5.30 the next morning from the senior plant operator saying: “Did you turn the conveyor belt on yesterday?”. I said “Yeh”. He says “Right – nothing moves – this plant’s black – like to see you get yourself out of this little fix Sonny Boy!” Ha, ha, has.
So anyway, I drove out to the plant that morning, thinking well, you know, this is a bit of a problem. How do I solve this? I thought that there’s really only one thing to do, and that’s to beg. So I got over there and I said to the senior plant operator. I said: “Stan I’m sorry. I’m new in this industry. I appreciate that I’ve been a bit of a so-and-so, but you’ve made your point and I will try to be different.”
He said to me: “It’s out of my hands. It’s in the hands of the union organiser.” So I said, who’s the union organiser and what’s his number? I rang him and I sort of begged and pleaded, and he said: “It’s more than my job’s worth to let this go. Bloody Pioneer are always pulling stunts like this. We’ve had enough of it! We’re sick of it! Got to do something.” So I said, well, look why don’t we put the old final warning. That if I ever do this again, I’ll be run out of the industry. And there was silence on the end of the phone, and after about ten seconds he said: “I’m putting you on a final warning mate, if this ever happens again you will be run out of the industry.”
Tony’s single brain cell; a lonely little neuron, always seeking attention and adoration, forever doomed to wondering why it fails, again and again.
Diannaart,
People management has never been Tony’s forte. As you point out, he will never understand why everyone else doesn’t recognise his superiority.
His father used to tell the story about the day his 12-year-old son came home from St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, in tears claiming he didn’t have any friends.
Mr Abbott told his son that to have friends you needed to “be a friend”. Trouble was, Tony didn’t know how other than to roam around with a group of bovver boys. He always needed an audience but had so little of consequence to say.
Another interesting story…..
Alan Jones recalled that when coaching the Australian and Oxford University rugby teams, ‘I piloted a scheme to assist young Australians of academic and sporting ability to study at Oxford. Rene Rivkin personally funded some of those who went, as I did. He did more than fund them. He met them, followed their progress and subsequently employed one or two of them.’ (SMH, 31 May 2003)
Who were they and why have they never disclosed the expansive generosity of Rivkin and Jones?
Prime Minister Tony Abbott attended The Queens College, Oxford, arriving on a Rhodes Scholarship in October 1981.
He was a controversial choice because he had not demonstrated the academic brilliance or leadership ability normally associated with the prize.
Tony never made it into the First XV for rugby at school. His father apparently complained though, having seen Tony play, I know he didn’t merit a spot. He was very quickly dumped from the Oxford team. His father also considered making him board at Riverview (despite living not far away) so he could be picked school captain – was NEVER gonna happen. It’s no wonder Tony has an inflated view of himself.
Kaye Lee
I have become sceptical of the much lauded bona fides of Oxford, since I learned of Abbott’s education there. That he was ‘helped’ into the college by such as Jones and Rivkin has a ring of truth. I can imagine they did more than just provide the dollars, both Jones and the not so lamented Rivkin are both given to verbal excess.
Tony Abbott may well finally leave parliament after the next election, where, hopefully the Australian public will vote their disgust by ousting, inequivocably, a major political power which has achieved very little in its 2 long terms in office (it feels like a long time). Even that ‘little’ achievement had to be coerced; same sex marriage and the RC into finance … even now Morrison does not want any extra time, despite ample evidence there is further behaviour requiring investigation.
I do not understand why any reasonable person would want a return of the LNP. However, not that good at understanding how the minds of rusted on fanatics of any ideology work.
It’s bad enough that an undeserving person such as Tony Abbott got boosted into his position, but the thing that really bothers me is, in taking up that spot, he will have prevented some unknown, much more deserving person from excelling.
Tony Abbott really is a great big zero. Amazing that he got so far on shameless self-promotion, hot air, and lies. It reveals something worrying about our social systems.
Diannaart at 4:37 pm
…not that good at understanding how the minds of rusted on fanatics of any ideology work.
It is not the problem with understanding the minds of the rusted on with any ideology that’s the issue. They won’t change. It is understanding the minds of the non-rusted on, that is the swing voters, that is the issue. That is where huge amounts of party and government resources are spent, such as on focus groups, polling, social and mainstream media manipulation, sock puppets, pork barrelling and so on.
https://phys.org/news/2018-07-social-media-globally.html
Miriam at 7:14 am
Amazing that he got so far on shameless self-promotion, hot air, and lies.
Abbott never got anywhere on his own. If you look through his history, even back to tertiary school days, and earlier when he was a vandal, at nearly every step he was assisted, covered for and protected by someone. If he had to stand on his own at any time he would have failed school, been charged with vandalism and assault, and would have a criminal record precluding him from Australian politics. Indeed, if it were not for the assistance he received manipulating his citizenship, he would also have not been able to enter Australian politics.
Rabbott is the LNP version of Labor’s Loathsome, neither of them have ever, or will ever, get over the fact that they were dumped as leader. It’s a festering wound that they will continue to scratch at and the stink will always remind us that they only driven by revenge ably supported by that media maggot, oops, magnate, The Rupert.