The media is in a spin over all this chatter about the possibility that former PM Tony Abbott might make another run for the top job.
Abbott has announced that he will re-contest pre-selection for the safe seat of Warringah.
Meanwhile he is off to speak to the Alliance Defending Freedom in the US where he will be among like-minded souls. They want to return the world to the Christendom of the Dark Ages.
Good luck with that. The US has long held a special place in its heart for ultra-right wing, religious nut cases. Abbott will be among friends.
His maverick like attitude, however, will be under close watch by a party already deeply divided and highly exposed.
Labor should be delighted to hear it. It truly is a gift from the gods. Imagine what their spin merchants could do with that in an upcoming federal election.
They not only have a proposed increase in the GST to exploit, but can now develop a narrative around the Liberal party disunity and the prospect that should Turnbull win the election, we might see Tony back as PM.
Make no mistake about it. The Liberal Party is in a state of war from within. There are so many colleague’s knives ready to be thrust into Turnbull’s gizzards, they make Brutus and Cassius look like children playing in the backyard.
There’s one huge proviso on Abbott remaining in Parliament though. He will first have to show that he has renounced his British citizenship. Within 14 days of the declaration of the Warringah result (assuming he wins), Tony’s eligibility will be challenged on the grounds that he holds dual citizenship.
If, however, he is able to overcome that challenge by producing his Renunciation Form, then it will be an uncertain future for Malcolm Turnbull, given the party’s economic failures, policies that favour the top end of town and a natural antipathy for Turnbull that runs deeper than the Grand Canyon.
The date on that Renunciation Form will be all important as well. It will tell us whether or not Abbott has served in the parliament during a period in which he was ineligible.
Won’t a battalion of constitutional lawyers love that?
And then there is the debt and deficit disaster? Where is that today?
Using Neo-liberal language, the Coalition debt is a much bigger disaster than Labor gave us. Whatever brand of maths you use, Labor averaged $36 billion in borrowings per annum over the six years they were in government.
The Coalition is averaging $48 billion in borrowings per annum for the two and a half years they have been in government. So who is the bigger spender? And what opportunities does that offer Labor?
If Labor cannot see the opportunities Abbott’s continued presence in parliament offers them, they need counselling. They have superior economic and social policies, they have the personnel capable of delivering them.
“A vote for Malcolm Turnbull is a vote for an increase in the GST, for policies that favour the rich and perhaps Tony Abbott as PM again.”
They can easily launch a rear-guard action with the sole purpose of destabilising the Liberal party just by concentrating on the internal poison that currently exists within it; a poison that seeks to undermine Malcolm Turnbull and ensure his progressive policy preferences never see the light of day.
So what are they waiting for, up there in Labor heartland?
[textblock style=”7″]
Like what we do at The AIMN?
You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.
Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!
Your contribution to help with the running costs of this site will be gratefully accepted.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
[/textblock]
