An Abbott loyalist has written to the dissident backbencher who is proposing the abolition of knights and dames, demanding that he withdraw his “wrong-headed” private member’s bill and advising him to “do his homework” before publicly floating ideas.
As Coalition divisions intensify over the leadership infighting and tempers fray, Tasmanian Andrew Nikolic has written to fellow backbencher Andrew Laming, who proposed a private member’s bill to remove knights and dames from the honours system shortly after the prime minister’s closely watched press club speech on Monday that was supposed to set the government back on track.
The email, copied to other MPs, claimed Laming’s bill proposed something that was beyond the powers of the commonwealth.
“I can understand your lack of knowledge on this, because it is an esoteric area of constitutional practice, but may I say that before launching a national media campaign on this issue, you should have done your homework first,” Nikolic wrote.
“Your private member’s bill proposal is wrong-headed and, as the lawyers would say, ultra vires. Having made your point I suggest you abandon this idea and concentrate on those things we are all working for, above all – jobs, restoring our economic freedom of action, and helping ensure the security of our wonderful nation.”
The terse email comes as pressure builds in the Coalition ahead of Tuesday’s party room meeting, where a motion to spill leadership positions could be moved, although no one has yet said they intended to do this.
Tony Abbott is expected to make an appeal to the meeting, outlining concessions regarding his leadership style and the operation of his office. Concessions include changes to the appointments that have to go to the so-called “star chamber” where the prime minister’s chief of staff has vetoed many ministers’ desired appointments, and to the travel that must be approved by the prime minister’s office, which has been another sore point.
Many MPs have said the revamp would include a revised role for Abbott’s chief of staff, Peta Credlin, but the prime minister’s spokesman denied there would be any change.
Abbott loyalists have intensified their argument that the prime minister should be given more time to turn around the government’s fortunes and attacked the dissidents for creating “Labor-style” dysfunction and chaos.
Those pushing for change argued the situation had deteriorated so quickly the prime minister’s leadership position was irretrievable, and “more time” would simply delay a leadership transition until a point when it was too late for a new leader to make policy changes.
On Tuesday, Nikolic wrote a passionate letter to all his colleagues pleading for the destabilisation to stop, but the week saw several high-profile interventions, including from the former Howard government minister Mal Brough who called for the GP co-payment policy to be abandoned altogether. Howard’s former chief of staff Arthur Sinodinos compounded Abbott’s difficulties by saying his support was “ongoing” but “not unconditional”.
Abbott’s decision to knight Prince Philip on Australia Day was the trigger that released pent-up concerns within the Coalition.
In Monday’s address he said he would no longer be in charge of the honours, instead leaving them to the Council for the Order of Australia.
“I accept that the restoration of knighthoods was a captain’s call,” Abbott said. “I have listened, I have learned, I have acted, and those particular captain’s picks which people have found difficult have been reversed.”
Laming said that was “inadequate” and the scheme should be scrapped. He said his bill had been checked by a constitutional lawyer.
The former government whip Warren Entsch said he backed the private member’s bill but no other MPs have publicly done so. A government led by Abbott is unlikely to allow it to be debated.
