The ousted former prime minister, Tony Abbott, is still licking his wounds after last month’s bruising leadership spill, all but admitting that he has yet to forgive his successor, Malcolm Turnbull.
When asked on Thursday by Macquarie Radio presenter Neil Mitchell if he had forgiven Turnbull for bringing on the spill, Abbott was relatively reticent.
“It’s probably one where I might exercise the former prime minister’s prerogative of silence. I mean, obviously there’s been a lot of dirty water under the bridge,” he said. “I guess, in time, all things are more readily understood, more readily accommodated and seen in proper perspective.”
He pointedly highlighted his successor’s ambition.
“Malcolm didn’t stay in parliament to be someone else’s minister. He’s now got his chance at the top job, he’s a very capable person, so let’s hope he makes the most of it,” Abbott said.
The pair exchanged texts a week ago, Abbott confirmed, although he would not be drawn on whether he had spoken to his former deputy, Julie Bishop.
“Now is not the time to dwell on those things. In the fullness of time, no doubt I’ll have a conversation with a number of people,” he said. “A couple of people have knocked on my door and said, ‘Tony I want to, in a sense, say sorry for doing what I thought we had to do.’
“But I’ve had some interesting texts from colleagues explaining that, while it was a very good government doing a lot of very good things, that the personal vitriol was such that they thought change was unavoidable,” he continued, without specifying if the vitriol came from within his own party.
Abbott lost the leadership of the Liberal party and subsequently the prime ministership to Turnbull amidst dramatic scenes last month. Abbott had taken on the leadership from Turnbull in 2009, when the Coalition was in opposition.
In his last media statement to journalists as prime minister Abbott promised that there would be “no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping”, but he has since given interviews to two radio networks and two newspapers, reopening the wounds.
On Thursday he said he was “confident” he could have led the Coalition to victory at the next election, but was similarly confident Turnbull could do the same.
Abbott argued that he and his treasurer, Joe Hockey, left an “outstanding foundation” for Turnbull and his treasurer, Scott Morrison, to build on.
He has pleaded for Coalition voters not to abandon the party as Turnbull takes the helm, saying he understands “that people are dismayed”, but people “need to make the most of a difficult situation”.
The latest statements came after Eric Abetz, who lost his employment ministry position in the reshuffle, sent a newsletter to supporters on Wednesday urging them to stay with the party.
“With calls for the formation of a new party and hundreds of resignations from the Liberal party, I call on members to remain as members of our party,” Abetz, a member of the Tasmanian branch of the party, said.
Later that day Geoff Page, the president of the Tasmanian branch of the Liberal party, rebutted Abetz’s assertion.
Since Turnbull became prime minister seven members had resigned and three non-financial members had chosen not to renew their membership, but another eight people had joined the party.
“While any resignation of any member is regrettable, we need to keep a sense of proportion about this given that it is a matter of public record that the Tasmanian division’s membership numbers over 2,000,” his statement said.
Morrison has also downplayed reports that members were leaving in droves.
“Well, that’s not something I’ve observed in getting around my own electorate and getting around my own party members,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday. “If they are in other places, well, I think that’s part of what happens in these sorts of situations.
“This is a strong Liberal National government which is adhering passionately about strong Liberal National values.”
Abbott reiterated his comments that not much had changed by way of policy since Turnbull took over the leadership.
“Government goes on. The government hasn’t changed,” he said, quipping that the difference between the new leader and the old is a “better suit”.
Labor latched on to the comments.
“Tony Abbott himself [has pointed] out that this is the same policies, sold by a different spokes model,” the acting opposition leader, Tanya Plibersek, said.
