It seems unlikely, unthinkable, and even impossible. The most erratic, dysfunctional, and accident-prone prime minister we have ever had making a stunning comeback? No, not this time. Rudd did it. Even Menzies did it, although he had to form a new party first.
Most will dismiss the notion as mischievous. The relief the entire nation felt when he was deposed was palpable. Driving to work in heavy traffic seemed a breeze.
Listening to talk-back radio there was a sense of light-heartedness in the air, voices were relaxed, even joyous. Finally the nightmare was over.
Yet, lurking in the background, hiding in the dark, sinister corridors of revenge and retribution, there is a hope, an expectation that the disaffected will yet have their day. They have retreated for now, beaten this time, but not defeated.
They have been thwarted by members of their own faction who saw the inevitability of what had to happen. But these dogmatists do not accept it.
This motley collection of religious zealots, hard right fanatics and neo liberal purists never accepted the loss of their champion. They still don’t. They coagulate like blood around a wound, the 44 odd who voted to keep Abbott in the job and lost.
They want him back in the job, keeping the nation pure, fending off the challenges that would see equality for all and egalitarianism prosper. They see these reforms as a blight on their concept of a world order that must be hierarchical.
They are mostly Catholic, their minds still cemented in the pre-Vatican 2 constituency before the reforms that gave the Church a new direction. And just as the conservatives in the Vatican eventually reversed or suppressed most of those reforms, this cult will, if they can, reverse this reform within the party, a reform they see as anathema to their beliefs and objectives.
For these people see themselves as the saviours of the nation’s conscience. For them, the moral issues of the day, gay pride, same sex marriage, drug law reform, abortion, in short the social revolution that began in the 1960s, must be opposed.
This man Turnbull, who was chosen to replace their man does not support their agenda and cannot be allowed to wield his influence beyond lip service. They have him in check for the time being, but he is not one of them and cannot be allowed to stay.
So yes, Abbott could return if the circumstances and opportunity were to present themselves. And this angry little mob will be working to ensure such an opportunity will arise. They are already firing off broadsides to keep their party alert. The safe schools brouhaha was a classic.
We need to realise these things when we come to vote in July.
Being a Good Catholic Abbott obviously thinks he is the New Saviour the 2nd Christ. Especially chosen to come to the World to save us all by sending us back to the 50s. Except I am sure in the 50s there was not the Creed that we now have.
Where a lot more of Creed is due to Abbott and his LNP, IPA Followers who think they know everything but contribute very little except to take and take what they feel they are entitled to for free..
Not much chance, thank heavens.
Turnbull would not allow it.
Imagine the scenario. Liberal Party coup. Abbott becomes top dog! Turnbull visits GG, ostensibly to resign, but convinces GG to dissolve parliament instead. Top Dog then needs to lead the Libs to an immediate election.
Top Dog makes lots of promises, such as no change to ABC, SBS, health or Education. Also no change to pensions ……
Trust me, he says, we will turn back the boats (in Europe), balance the budget, and be better than labor.
Shorten, meanwhile, is already partying……
yes agree , Abbott and the rightards are waiting to knock off Turnbull and take Australia back to some sort of right wing utopia
fine company indeed http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=552_1458735545
Abbott’s deepest wish is probably that Shorten might win the 2016 election, narrowly, and he Abbott, will be righteously and victoriously re-drafted as Opposition leader again, to do what he does best, to obstruct, to wreck and to oppose, and, to blatantly lie on every piece of policy the Coalition pretends to hold. This ill-fated scenario has Abbott storming back to victory with a large majority in 2019, aged just 61, the age Turnbull is now.
This deluded, narcissistic and dangerous fool should be discredited at every opportunity, because he has the ear and the support of the ever increasing media monopoly in this country.
The thought of Abbott at the top again makes me feel sick. The merest possibility of it should be galvanising all alternative and progressive political forces into The Alliance of the Greens, thinking Labor, progressive micro parties and sane Indies, so that not only will it prevent Abbott’s re-emergence, but it will also annihilate the right supremists and Malcolm Muck all in one foul swoop.
I wonder what the people of Warringah think about Abbott’s overseas jaunts? If there are any struggling ones amongst them, I’d be surprised if they condoned Member Abbott being paid as an MP while AWOL.
Jennifer, there is a group formed in Warringah dedicated to denying Abbott re-endorsement. They have a Facebook page, PEOPLE OF WARRINGAH. This article has been posted there. They would appreciate some support.
Next on Abbott and bernardi’s list will see the return of burning witches. They are that retarded !
After the election? I reckon the idea of before the election has crossed his aspiring mind.
yes, I can see Abbott making a comeback…
As leader of the opposition!
Good point, David. It’s the only job he is competent in.
But last time he was LOTO he dragged Australian politics into the gutter. So he couldn’t take us down any further. He dragged it into the gutter and it has stayed there.
With his roaring allegiance to royalty and his assumed, still british citizenship Tony Abbott might like the role of Governor General.
The Queens man in Australia, I think he’d like that
John, I agree with your proposition that the return of Abbott is not beyond the realms of possibility nor that it would be inconsistent with the storyline of modern Australian politics. In our time, we have witnessed our unelected drunken head of state sack our elected government, to be replaced by said head of state’s choice of government, allowing said chosen government to have all the advantages of incumbency at the subsequent election. Then the spectacles of Howard and Abbott, each dismissed with derision as joke candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party, ultimately float to the top of the slurry.
As long as you have finished digesting your last meal, imagine this:
. Turnbull wins the next election by a narrow margin;
. there are rumblings within the LNP government, grieving over lost seats and disaffected by an emboldened Turnbull leading the government too far to the left;
. there are almost three years left of the government’s term, so there’s time for any blood on the carpet to be sponged away and forgotten by the time the next election rolls around;
. internal polls tell Turnbull that his support is on the wain and currently on a knife edge;
. Turnbull isn’t prepared to go back to the bad old days of having the RWNJ’s decide what he does next, decides it’s all too hard, and does a Gorton, falling on his sword;
. Abbott strides forth, presenting himself as a man who has learned from his mistakes and not about to allow Credlin, or anyone like her, stand in the way of an open-door approach to dealing with all of his colleagues, front and back benches alike.
Nothing about the above scenario would seem too fantastic; in fact, we might think that we have seen it all before.
John, I hope that our musings are the stuff of dreams. I would hate to wake up one day to discover that they had come true.
The prospect of Abbott returning should scare a few more people into voting, as Jennifer says, for Greens, Labor, progressive micro parties, and sane independents. Abbott really needs to lose his job completely. He is far too dangerous to Australia to remain in politics. Let’s hope the idiot trips over and hurts himself badly or comes down with some incurable disease. I don’t usually wish anybody ill, but I make an exception for him.
Surely they must realise if they put Abbott back on the throne the exact same thing will happen to them all over again, Circa 2013 to Sept 2015, i know they are all a bunch of idiots but they must know that expecting a different result the 2nd time round after their experiment with insanity would be just, well, Insanity.”
Their poll numbers would go down faster than Sophie Mirabella on a sub mariner.”””””
Michael,I believe Abbott enjoyed role Opposition leader more than being PM. So after election would be OK in his mind.
In response to Paul’s nightmarish scenario and Miriam’s wish,
I say we keep stacking up the pressure on the LNP by being seen by them to be forging The Alliance that I promise you will instill fear into them, even into dickhead Abbott. The numbers of The Alliance and its diverse integrity will blow their minds.
The Australian people also need to see the formation of The Alliance to be happening so that they believe there is a point to looking for the alternative, progressive and compassionate policies and processes that are intended to benefit all Australian people, asylum seekers, the environment and common people in the outside world who need our support.
By being a working, effective Alliance, a positive balance of aspirations and effective solutions can be negotiated by the various Alliance partners. Thanks Miriam for already acknowledging the wisdom of this proposed collaboration.
It would seem that there are those on the inside who are committed to undermining and perhaps ridiculing Turnbull : the fact that some staffer evidently gave Turnbull and the team “continuity & Change” as a slogan presumably knowing full well that it was a meaningless slogan manufactured for the VEEP, a US comedy/satire show is telling.
Turnbull got quite sniffy with Tony Jones over this and other faux pas and whilst Abbott is a long long shot for another run as prime minister it is in his DNA to do everything he can to bring down Turnbull.
JMS – is this http://australianlibertyalliance.org.au/about-us The Alliance you refer to?
Anything we can do, Jennifer and Miriam, to prevent the ascendancy of Abbott right-wing-ism ever again, short of a crime against humanity, I agree is worth pursuing.
Answer…. YES Mrabbitt will return as our ruler and then what a mess Australia will be in, Mrrabbit is our best worst enemy.
Listen to yourselves.where does so much hatred come from.
Sorry l wasted my time reading the rot.
“Listen to yourselves.where does so much hatred come from.”
Grau, it’s called karma. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap”.
Labelling comments as ‘hatred’ is an old conservative tactic. Giving an issue a derogatory label legitimises dismissing it. And in dismissing it, you avoid debate which might contain truths inconvenient to you. Grau’s comment follows this pattern. An accusation, a label—and he’s gone.
The Abbott Comeback is not only likely, but it is already happening! He’s never “gone” anywhere. Even OS as ex PM chatting up the UK PM or Ukrainian President, he has remained the centre of attention more than the present PM will ever be. On that score, even Madam Peta gets more attention than Mal will ever have. Antonius Abbottus Caesar does not need to be Australia’s PM because currently he is completely unshackled to do and say what he pleases anywhere on the Globe. Perhaps what he really needs is to be is the UK PM and be the leader of the Free World, give himself a Peerage, marry into the Royal Family and go fox hunting bare chested.I can’t wait to see the movie with Tony playing himself!
the english made this country great,and the english have destroyed it.mark
Thanks, John, for the informed criticism of the Catholic Church.
Of course Abbott wants to topple Abbott. He’s discovered no one outside parliament wants to emply him and he’s always wanted to be top dog, so his ambitions are obvious, confirmed by his behaviour.
All power to the anti-Abbott brigade in Warringah.
RosemaryJ36
I clicked on your link to that alliance party. After reading the manifesto that was available I was so disappointed. They are sprouting the same far right LNP bullshit as the government. It seemed like it was an offshoot of a combined liberal/Christian lobby party. Very sad that there are even more people that think like that trying to make it into government ! How did you find them?
Who’s going to give the dumb thug a job?
The idea of the misogynistic, homophobic, dumbed down fascist LIAR, thief and cheat, Phony Grabbit, returning (like a horrific case of genital herpes) as the most nationally and internationally despised, scorned and ridiculed PM in our history is positively too awful to contemplate. Abbott is an inarticulate, mumbling, stumbling moron without substance, not one iota of compassion, not a shred of insight or foresight. In only 22 months of staggering incompetence, megalomaniacal autocratic despotism, griping, backstabbing destruction and environmental vandalism, this despicable fascist has changed Australia into a country barely recognisable after the democratic but fallible Labor government. Abbott has used crass vulgarity, unbridled thuggery, bullying misogyny and vindictive, malicious LIES, hyperbole and character assassinating SLANDER against anyone and everyone who have had the courage to stand up against his bitter, twisted ideology and bible thumping hypocrisy! Abbott’s unspeakable ongoing LIES, never ending broken promises, remorseless corruption and relentless incidences of blatant nepotism and self serving corruption have set the tone for the WORST government in living memory. The day this conniving, scheming grub got kicked to the kerb by the smug Turnbull was a relief for anyone with an IQ that ranged above the quota of 20! Turnbull, as expected, has turned out to be a bitter, bitter disappointment because the WHOLE cabinet of the LNP are literally managed by the ultra right wing, frothing-at-the-mouth lunatics of Abbott’s Flat Earth Society, eg maniacs like Cory Bernardi, Eric Abetz, George Christensen, Peter Dutton, Kevin Andrews … all of them cold blooded, dumbed down psychopaths who revel in callous inhumanity, stupidity and self entitlement.
Abbott is a legend in his OWN tiny mind … Abbott achieved ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but destruction, annihilation, tearing down our democracy, stomping on free speech, the defunding of EVERYTHING we hold dear, eg our children’s education, Medicare, disability, scientific and medical research, the unspeakable lack of foresight to accept and fund the rising tide and devastation of climate change to the point where he sacked EVERY scientist working on climate change research within the world renowned CSIRO! My God, Abbott is the worst Grim Reaper imaginable! His misogynistic xenophobia and cruelty against legal asylum seekers has caused a rising hatred, division and intolerance never before seen since the bad days of the war criminal, his mentor, John Howard. Just the sight of this swaggering, arrogant and totally gormless sociopath is beyond nauseating!
If ANYONE on the planet should go back to where he came from, Abbott should crawl back to England because this shameless obsequious sycophant to British elitism and imperialism truly BELONGS there!
RosemaryJ36,
sorry for the late response. I have been celebrating Easter with my family.
No that is not The Alliance I’m talking about. As Eight’s Enough has said, the group you identify, appears to be too conservative and neo-liberal despite some apparent well-meaning principles.
The Alliance I refer to is something I’ve envisaged based on existing political parties and participants but with the possibility of new members to join.
I envisage those micro parties to be already up and running and that see themselves under the banner of http://allianceforprogress.org.au/
I also envisage the Greens and a chastened Left and Centre Labor, along with a few sane Independents like Wilkie, Lazarus, Muir and Lambie.
The Alliance I speak of, will annihilate a return of Abbott, and will destroy Malcolm Muck and the LNP.
Salstarat, don’t be coy. Don’t hold back. Tell us what you really think. 🙂
Wow. heheh I thought I hated Abbott with a passion, but Salstarat, I defer to you. 🙂
I have contacted the People of Warringah facebook page to lend my support to them for ridding our Australian political landscape of rabid Tony Abbott, failed Liberal MP and PM.
Jennifer Meyer-Smith, good move! I wish you every success in your endeavours to influence the people of Warringah to please, please, PLEASE endeavour to rid the country of the most dangerous, misogynistic, elitist fascist the country has ever seen. The future of our country is in their hands … if they could just get the sense to vote Abbott out of his seat! Once abbott has been removed from politics, then .. and only then .. can this country move on from a very dark, medieval part of our history!
In response to Miriam, yes, I absolutely and irrevocably loathe Abbott but more importantly, despise what he has done to this country! Abbott is the worst, most heinous and spineless monster … an aberration who constantly seeks the type of power without glory that Hitler, Mussolini and others, sought and attained. A conscientious but unconscionable tyrant whose malignant ideology goes against every democratic ideal that our fathers and grandfathers fought two world wars to achieve. Abbott was born a foreigner and remained a foreigner …. his whole revolting elitism and imperialism goes against EVERYTHING Australian egalitarian society stands for and his short term in power as the most destructive PM in living memory has proven that he could NEVER contribute ANYTHING constructive or beneficial to ordinary Australians. Despite Abbott proving himself to be less than mediocre at everything he put his hand to, Abbott had the type of grandiose, overblown sense of grandeur so typical in psychopaths. Abbott proved that power in the hands of a gormless, megalomaniacal narcissist is, indeed, extremely dangerous …. sadly, the USA experienced this with George W Bush and will, to their own destruction, will have an even worse experience if Trump crawls across the electoral line. One of the most important decisions this country can EVER make in our history is the complete removal of Abbott from his seat and the annihilation of the LNP at the next federal election. God help us if this degenerate cabinet return …. their unholy alliance with Murdoch and Murdoch’s IPA will, most assuredly, be top of their agenda and be pushed through with a weakened Senate.
Fantastic news about Bernie Sanders winning Alaska, Washington and Hawaii! Bernie’s not giving up the fight for a renewed progressive movement that will bring positive change for grassroots people in America.
The movement is happening everywhere and we in Australia are becoming the beneficiaries of the upsurge of interest, passion and mobility in the community.
Keep the momentum going and let Abbott, Malcolm Muck and the LNP Degenerates know that they are cactus.
Go The Alliance of the Greens, Left and Centre Labor, progressive micro parties and sane Independents like Muir, Lazarus, Wilkie and Lambie.
Jennifer
Terrific news.
Go independents both within and without formal political parties – I regard Bernie as an independent in many ways or maybe just a man who has not forgotten what the Democrats used to stand for.
Jennifer , I too am most excited about Bernie’s successes, a fresh new wind blowin’ there in USA, whilst here in Oz Mr Muck has been found not to be progressive at all.
I have been saying it for awhile now, Labor has to make friends with the Greens, and they also have learn to negotiate with the sensible Independents. Julia Gillard knew how to, but then she was/is a woman…