Abbott's Advantage As Showdown Looms

[icyfroth]

Tony Abbott enters this leadership crisis in a stronger position than those who would replace him for one simple reason: he has a plan to hold his job and they don't have a plan to snatch it. Not yet, anyway.

Malcolm Turnbull is the most viable candidate standing in the wings. The polls say it and the colleagues know it. But he isn't campaigning, not actively anyway.

Julie Bishop is the other option, but also the bigger risk, and she isn't campaigning either. She said so on Tuesday.

 Abbott, on the other hand, is campaigning. He has already played his key card, claiming he has legitimacy of the people's vote just 17 months ago, warning that he will have to be blasted out and reminding colleagues that disunity is death, whoever is in charge. It's a potent message.

Entire Article Here

He's not a Lawyer and he's not an accountant. He's a Firefighter and a Lifesaver.

[iapetus_rocks]

"Tony Abbott’s new phrase to describe making bad decisions has become the subject of parody on social media.

SBS

4 Feb 2015

A new phrase coined by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to describe making a bad decision has taken off on Twitter.

Tony Abbott first used the phrase – "doing an Abbott" – during an interview with radio host Ray Hadley today.

It has since become the subject of ridicule on social media, with large amounts of people tweeting the hashtag #doinganabbott along with descriptions of poor choices."

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/02/04/doing-abbott-pms-self-deprecating-phrase-parodied-twit...

[nevynreally]

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@iapetus_rocks wrote:

I almost feel sorry for him. But then again, I don't, because he really is the author of his own destruction.

He is not totally stupid, as Campbell Newman isn't totally stupid.

So, what is going on? Is it that both of them don't really care so much for a future in politics, but care more for the favours they can do for their business mates who will see to it later on that they are well rewarded?

I'm really puzzled. They both introduced policies which any thinking person should have known were political poison.

Perhaps they were both examples of shining honesty and integrity, introducing policies which were totally and absolutely consistent with their respective political philosophies, and the consequences be hanged?

Something to think about for anyone who, in the future, contemplates a vote for the LNP or any of their representatives. . . . did we really just witness an honest and unabashed declaration of what the Coalition parties stand for?

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Neither side gets that the world has changed. Everything is gone over with a fine tooth comb. Nothing is left unturned anymore. Knee jerk reactions are pretty stupid. Rudd's ego deserved it. They should have stuck with Julia once they put her there. I want  the party who was voted in to stick to the person at the head of it, unless there's a good reason for them being ousted (again, Rudd) all the chopping and changing, over it.

[polksaladallie]

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@poddster wrote:

Ok lefties, here is your chance, predict if there WILL be a leadership challenge and when it will happen.

So stick out your necks if you dare 🙂

Or is it just speculation and wishful thinking

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Speculation and wishful thinking?

Did the lefties (whatever that is) force several MPs to appear on television and tell Australia that they no longer have confidence in the PM?  This after months, if not years, of dissention.

What power thay have.     

[***super_nova***]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:

10 Coalition MPs would support spill motion

The ABC has phoned dozens of Coalition MPs and can identify 10 who would support a spill motion, while another 20 could be described as highly disaffected or harbouring deep concerns.

ABC

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Yeah trust the ABC to stir the pot.

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Are you suggesting that the media should not be trying to find out what is going on in our government? !!!!  That i their job, we have the right to know.

[icyfroth]

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:

10 Coalition MPs would support spill motion

The ABC has phoned dozens of Coalition MPs and can identify 10 who would support a spill motion, while another 20 could be described as highly disaffected or harbouring deep concerns.

ABC

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Yeah trust the ABC to stir the pot.

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Are you suggesting that the media should not be trying to find out what is going on in our government? !!!!  That i their job, we have the right to know.

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I'm not suggesting anything. I'm stating that the ABC, not content with just reporting the news, is now trying to create the news (ref the above snippet posted by Am*3).

[debra9275]

I hate the way he's bullying his own party members and sort of holding them to ransom with reminders of what happened to rudd/gillard

It seems pretty cowardly to me the way he's carrying on.  Anyone else would encourage them to have their vote and get it over and done with to avoid any more instability

[donnashuggy]

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@am*3 wrote:

10 Coalition MPs would support spill motion

The ABC has phoned dozens of Coalition MPs and can identify 10 who would support a spill motion, while another 20 could be described as highly disaffected or harbouring deep concerns.

ABC

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Yeah trust the ABC to stir the pot.

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Are you suggesting that the media should not be trying to find out what is going on in our government? !!!!  That i their job, we have the right to know.

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I might suggest that icy read this but she probably won't, its a good read super_nova http://www.newpolitics.com.au/tony-abbott-bad-prime-minister

[***super_nova***]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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I'm not suggesting anything. I'm stating that the ABC, not content with just reporting the news, is now trying to create the news (ref the above snippet posted by Am*3).

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LOL, they were asking our politicians what is going on.  The fact is many of his colleagues want TA gone, and those who still stand by him do so only because they are afraid what such a move would do to the LNP (after the flack ALP got for their change of leader) and because there i really nobody suitable to take over.  ABC is not creating anything, just asking questions.  Unlike the commercial stations that search out any whiff of scandal and blow it out of all proportions, and nobody demands of them to be "balanced". 

[***super_nova***]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

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I might suggest that icy read this but she probably won't, its a good read super_nova http://www.newpolitics.com.au/tony-abbott-bad-prime-minister

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It is interesting, but not surprising; I bet that if election was held now TA & LNP would end up worse than Newman.  I was quite shocked that even before the election my very conservative friends were quite depressed about the idea that TA was LNP leader.  They absolutely hate him now.  They feel as embarrassed about his behaviour as I do.  But they are intelligent educated very successful business people. I wonder if they did vote LNP .....  I am not so cruel to ask.   🙂

[donnashuggy]

Very true comparisons of how the media have protected Abbott, unlike Julia