Luck's been elusive in 2015. Abbott's first talk-back caller on Neil Mitchell's top-rating 3AW radio program was from a self-described "through-and-through" Liberal supporter named Andrew.

The danger for Abbott is that it is in the heartland where disillusionment with the government seems at its strongest. 

"I've got to be honest and truthful with you, Mr Prime Minster, you're on the nose with Liberal voters and that's a real concern to me because I don't want to see you give the keys to Bill Shorten at the Lodge … I have got to tell you, you are the world's worst salesman, Prime Minister," he said.

read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/mutterings-in-unhappy-tony-abbott-ranks--is-mutiny-on-the-horizon-20150122-12vpaa.html

 

Despite Tony Abbott's protestations to the contrary, there is no golden rule in Australian politics damning a governing party that changes leaders mid-stream to eternal political opprobrium, writes Paula Matthewson.

Only days since returning from a short summer break, Prime Minister Tony Abbott is struggling with the issue he left unresolved before Christmas - the Government's litany of policy disasters, its rejected budget, and his own failure to deal with his increasingly alarmed ministers and backbenchers.

Admittedly, the PM made some half-hearted attempts to 'reset' matters at the end of last year. He reshuffled the ministry without offloading most of the dead wood, held a press conference in which he failed to nominate any policy for resetting, and then went on to 'give ground' on policies such as the Medicare rebate and the paid parental leave scheme without actually giving any real ground.

Not surprisingly, this fooled no one, leaving ABC 730's Leigh Sales to be the first to ask the PM whether he would consider stepping aside in order to give the Coalition the best chance of holding on to power. Abbott's response was to evoke the deposing of Rudd as justification for his retention, arguing "the one fundamental lesson of the last catastrophic government was that you don't lightly change leaders".

This rationale has become almost an invocation, most recently uttered by the PM today in response toquestions about the viability of his leadership:

"If there is one lesson to be learned from the fate of the former government in Canberra - maybe even the former government in Victoria - is you do not change leaders. You rally behind someone and you stick to the plan, and we've got a good plan."

To make matters worse, the PM was then treated to a serve by a talkback caller describing himself as a Liberal voter, who said Abbott was "on the nose with Liberal voters" and "the world's worst salesman", and that "people don't know where you are going and business is saying there are roadblocks because there is no direction and no leadership".

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-22/matthewson-voters-forgive-change-but-not-disunity/6034746

 

Actually, the worst part is not "disunity" or changing horse, but throwing shit onto the electorate... 

 

Fairfax duly, breathlessly – almost immediately – reported Andy’s insights:

'Liberal voter Andrew McNabb makes second attack on 'world's worst salesman' Tony Abbott'

Mr McNabb hit the airwaves again on Friday, telling Fairfax radio station 3AW it was time for a change in leader.

He said the Government should make a leadership change as soon as Parliament returns, and it should be Julie Bishop who replaces Mr Abbott, with Malcolm Turnbull as treasurer.

Liberal Party activist declare Abbott "world's worst salesman" who must step down #auspol http://t.co/em9DQtI7Sp pic.twitter.com/1WtaKMal3n

— News Australia (@NewsAustralia) January 23, 2015

That’s it then. Andy from Officer has spoken. A bit like Paul the World Cup octopus. It’s to be the Julie and Malcolm show. Tell that to Scott Morrison.

No other media organisation found Andy’s thoughts – or 3AW – worth mentioning, so all those who consume their news with an egg and bacon McMuffin were none the wiser.

So, Fairfax is cross-promoting Fairfax and what’s wrong with that? Nothing, providing it’s not a gratuitous beat up.

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/pm-on-the-rocks-tony-abbotts-insider-revolt,7290

 

Even if this is a "gratuitous" beat up, it is still on the money. 

 

Kevin Rudd's replacement in the seat of Griffith, Terri Butler, writes to Tony Abbott asking him to put to rest speculation he is ineligible to sit in the Australian Parliament due to never having renounced his British citizenship. Sydney bureau chief Ross Jones reports.

TERRI MEGAN BUTLER is the Labor MP for the federal division of Griffith, basically Brisbane’s inner southern suburbs. It used to be former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s seat until he spat his final dummy. Kev’s abrupt but overdue departure triggered a by-election held on 8 February 2014.

Terri, previously an industrial lawyer, had secured Labor pre-selection and, on the day, prevailed over the LNP's Dr Bill Glasson with a 2PP of 51.76%, despite a 1.25% swing against Labor.

It’s probably a much safer ALP seat now and, at 37, Butler has a bright future before her.

IA readers are familiar with the indefatigable Tony Magrathea as the man trying to uncover the truth regarding the Tony Abbott’s citizenship status. The results ofhis attempts have been well-documented in IA.

Fed up with frustrations attending the almost-impossible task of proving something doesn’t exist, in this case Abbott's 'Form RN' – his renunciation of British citizenship – Magrathea decided both-barrels, choke off, was the best approach.

The #strange and #suspicious case of @TonyAbbottMHR’s citizenship#auspol #onetermtony #abbottlies https://t.co/J1MWopIzYC@IndependentAus

— Dan Krige (@DanKrige) January 4, 2015

So he emailed the following question to every MP in the land:

If a politician were to find out about something that might or might not be a crime, should they make that decision themselves or should it be left up to the police? I know most state crimes acts require all who are aware of a crime to let the police know, otherwise they risk being charged with perverting the course of justice, especially if the politician and potential criminal are mates and there has been some sort of monetary or political advantaged gained by staying quiet.

I ask because the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet declared in an FOI request, 2014-159, in October last year, that Mr Abbott is still a dual citizen of Britain and Australia. They said his renunciation paperwork for the British citizenship does not exist.  If a politician were to find out about something that might or might not be a crime should they make that decision themselves or should it be left up to the police? I know most state crimes acts require all who are aware of a crime to let the police know otherwise they risk being charged with perverting the course of justice, especially if the politician and potential criminal are mates and there has been some sort of monetary or political advantaged gained by staying quiet.

 

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/terri-butler-mp-asks-pm-abbott-to-prove-he-is-not-a-british-citizen,7299

 

The Australian law is very clear. Abbott should resign...

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is mocking suggestions the Government should have an open tender process for Australia's next fleet of submarines, saying that could result in "Kim Jong-il-class submarines" or "Vladimir Putin submarines".

The Government has been under pressure over how it will award the multi-billion-dollar contract, since it emerged that the Prime Minister had reassured a Liberal MP that Australia's shipbuilding company would be allowed to compete in the lead up to this week's vote on his leadership.

Mr Abbott said the Government would use a "competitive evaluation process" to make the decision.

But the MP in question, South Australian Liberal Senator Sean Edwards, earlier this week said the Prime Minister had described it to him as an open tender process.

read more

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-11/open-tender-could-result-in-kim-jong-il-class-submarines-pm/6086374

It is quite likely that when Tony did the deal of free trade Aussie offals to Japan he included a contract for the Japanese to build the Aussie's submarines but he has hidden this from view...