O dear criticism should be based on fact,it might help if Abbott was not a serial liar who has no policy,he is also a self admitted liar as well.
Just another rubbish article by some one who is ideologically blind to the fact that the present Liberal party is the remains of Howards 3rd team and will be use less in Govt.
Vote for the Liberal party and they will destroy this country incompetent bums the lot of them

A spirited attack on Dr Norman Abjorensen, with whom I happen to agree,but you have said nothing, Chris, to refute the tenor and thrust of Abjorensen's thesis.

I looked in vain for the counter argument, for your detailing of Abbott's positive qualities, for his fitness to lead Australia in what will be challenging times.

Instead the weakness of your defence of Abbott, makes the thrust of Abjorensen's article of more relevance and quite pertinent.

Come on tell us what Abbott's strengths are, in what way(s) is he suited to lead this country?

Bruce Haigh

How can you base anything when they do not say anything.
Instead of talking economics, or something to aid the welfare of this country, all they do is sleaze around looking for some grime.
This cumbersome regime as an opposition is the worst in history, Left overs from a debunked regime.
God help Australia if this mob ever get a chance of reining over AU.
The 1% will be delighted .
The incumbent govt; may not be ideal ,but this country is in good economic stability, and credit must be given.
The alternative is not ideal, but they only have tax breaks and welfare for the rich, as a normal agenda for a liberal govt; a very dangerous regime.

Bruce, the article is a criticism of an attempt by an acedemic to bag Abbott, that is all. It suggests at the end that Abbott's policies may have strengths and weaknessses, and that any criticism of Abbott should focus on that rather than simplistic attacks through a number of MP commnents or comparisons with past PM's.

After all, there must be lots of reason why he (and Coalition) is favorite to win the next election and why Labor is on the nose.

We should make a list of coalition achievements so far.
Block the Malaysia solution.
A host of pledges in blood
Down-talk the economy, and run a scare campaign about carbon price.
Not show any interest in parliament.
That is about all i can think of.
We can't list any policy, there isn't any.

Labor has put through 215 bills without any resistance.
Labor is always talking policy, and economics.
We have the worlds best treasurer.
I say labor is in a good position, one out and one back. Not bad for an encumbent govt; at this stage of term.

By all means, let's discuss facts - even uncomfortable ones like his pre-2004 election "absolutely rock solid, ironclad commitment" to keep the Medicare Plus Safety Net in place after the election (later abandoned), plus his involvement in the strange Citizens for Honest Democracy affair.

Then there are his consistent inconsistencies, such as claiming his Carbon stragegy will save million of tons of CO2 but then dismissively referring to it as a "weightless gas".

Gainsaying everything done by the government and simply telling people what they want to hear is not the qualities of a leader but a follower.

Dismissing every opposing professional opinion as simply saying they're "wrong" without any explanation is avoiding the truth.

Criticising ALP factions and alleged Union Influence while ignoring the role of the Liberal NSW "uglies" as his own powerbase is hypocritical.

At least the ALP builds things on top of what is already there but Abbott simply wants to tear down everything they do on principle alone. It's as if he wants to burn all the history books of the last few years and treat the non-LNP period as some sort of political abberation.