What almighty load of bunkum!!

< When he became leader of the Liberal Party by just one vote in December 2009 Tony Abbott saved the party and non-Labor cause nationally from probable annihilation. >

What?!

<< Now he must use the same leadership qualities to win the next election to rescue Australia from its current policy quagmire. >>

But one of the main criticisms of him is his abject lack of leadership qualities, which is puts him and Turnbull poles apart, and which has got a great deal to do with Labor’s resurgence.

< He still must clarify to the electorate what a new Abbott government will do, as distinct to what it opposes. >

Yes, that would help.

And don't the voters know it! A major criticism levelled by very large portion of the populace is that he and his party don’t stand for anything really coherent, and really are based on opposing everything Labor puts forwards just for the sake of opposition.

Abbott has had plenty of time to develop or elucidate a full platform, philosophy or itinerary. The fact that he hasn’t points straight to a shallow leader without a meaningful agenda, who can’t be trusted with government as we really don’t know what he might do if he wins office.

As repugnant as Labor is, they have clawed their way right back into the race very largely because of these two major faults in Abbott’s leadership.

How on earth you can sing his praises Professor Prasser, is beyond me!

Meanwhile, the things that really matter; the development of the right sorts of policies that will guide this country towards a sustainable future, don’t even enter the picture.

Perhaps, just perhaps, if Abbott was to embrace the sustainability paradigm with a vengeance, and outplay Gillard at her desire for a sustainable Australia, he might just put the Libs onto a real winning strategy!

THIS is what the country desperately needs…. and it wouldn’t be at all difficult to out-sustainabilityise Labor.

But of course, the Libs would never do that, would they.

If Tony Abbott ever wins power we are in for more DLP type efforts. But from a professor at a catholic university we should expect support for Abbott, Hockey and Robb. That troika's expressed views on the federal deficit are deplorable. In a period when there is under-employment of people, resources and facilities, a budget deficit should be the least of our worries.

The sovereign government can always afford to purchase anything for sale for $Aus up to the point where the government's purchases are tending to overheat a booming economy. In a growing economy, or in one with a 2-3% inflation target, a budget deficit averaging a few percent over the business cycle is not a threat in any way.

Tony Abbott, and his economic shadow ministers, either do not understand this or they deliberate mislead those among the public who still believe that the government budget is as constraining as a household budget.

I am in full agreement with Ludwig & Foyle.
If Abbott is elected, the voters will be saying within a very short time, "why did we do it", as they are with Campbell- Newman.

Could you and Abbott and the rest of the NSW, Vic, SA,Tas,Qld etc branches and all your institutes, foundations and societies, especially the nutter Lyons forum, of the extreme religious right catholics infesting and branch stacking every electorate of what was once the Liberal party.
Get the hell out of our secular democracy. We just saw what the extreme lunar religious right fundies like yourselves just did to the Republican party in the USA.
Thankfully you religious nutters are on the same course to political oblivion. My wife is a lifetime Liberal voter, every time she sees or hears Abbott she groans and turns off the TV or radio, no intelligent woman in this country will ever vote for the Mad Monk and the rest you rabid Catholic DLP Lieberals, EVER!
Your in Abbottsolute denial of how despised this child like idiot Abbott is.

There was nothing new or insightful in the article.

Looks therefore very much like a promotional piece for Abbott.

As an academic, perhaps he could write something insightful about the need for a royal commission into the abuse of children by Catholic priests in Australia, now a topic gaining traction in the media, with pithy references to experiences in other countries, like Ireland for instance.

Foyle, Robert LePage and HFR,

The ideas that Tony Abbott is a DLP type and that the Liberal Party is some sort of newly resurgent DLP are absurd.

I submitted a letter to the editor of Quarterly Essay in response to David Marr’s article on Tony Abbott. Quarterly Essay publishes letters than run to several pages. However, the editor informed me that much correspondence was received and my letter would not be published because of space. I asked for reconsideration but have got no reply. I have therefore posted it on the web:
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/jacktheinsider/index.php/theaustralian/comments/if_you_dont_stick_youll_come_unstuck/P100/.

Warning: it contains facts.

The author shows his lack of realism by the following statement: Turnbull, always the rational businessman, but never the political entrepreneur, broke the first rule of opposition – never agree with the government unless their policy is demonstrably right in all respects and there is no acceptable alternative.

If one seriously applied that 'first rule' there would be almost complete gridlock unless government could stifle the opposition.

I feel that Abbott goes farther and disagrees with the government even when their policy is demonstrably right in all respects and there is no acceptable alternative. When he refused to pair a Coalition member with a Labor member in a vote so the Labor member could get away that was mindless opposition. Previous Labor and Coalition leaders have come to such agreements with no problem.

Turnbull was a reasonable leader. Abbott isn't. Apparently the Coalition parliamentarian prefer unreason.

Why can't an opposition agree on points, The way Abbott has conducted his strategy, has left people in the dark.
He has been screaming for an election for years, why would anyone follow him, no one knows what his ideas are. We have no policy and no character.
You want people to think Abbott is a statesman worthy of a chance at govt; For what reason should anyone think that.
A continual foot in mouth syndrome, Pledges in blood, Anti climate change, Uppercrust welfare.
Abbott's degree of negativity, his verbal violence against women, a pending court case.
He has not shown he can run a country, let alone conduct himself with dignity.

Tony Abbott says that the Coalition would reduce energy prices by eliminating the carbon tax, which would result in an electricity price drop of up to 10%. The Coalition's current Renewable Energy Target (RET) policy is no better than Labor's, namely retaining the RET.

However, retaining the RET would result in ongoing energy price increases, as renewable energies are at least twice as expensive as coal-fired energy. Because of the unreliability of renewables, it is essential to maintain coal or gas-fired backup power generation capacity.

The RET measures that have been implemented or are proposed will have no effect on climate change, and are scientifically and economically unjustified. Pursuing and achieving the RET is not in the national interest.

If Tony Abbott is really serious about reducing energy prices and restoring some of Australia's comparative advantage on energy sources , he must turn around and eliminate the RET. Of course, this requires courage, as he has to counter Labor's negative propaganda and convince the electorate

Labors negative propaganda, now there is a statement. The RET has not in existence long enough to trial anything. There is no carbon tax on renewables.
Wind back Toni is full of b/st. That is all he knows, the golden years.
Six coal fired plants shut down, more to go as alt power takes over.
Not reliable is B/st the sun is always shining somewhere.
Victoria is leading the way as usual, and we ain't winding back the clock for no one.

David F Tony Abbott would love to be able to agree with any good policies the Labor government had, if only they could come up with even one.

Why do you think they are screaming about Abbott not putting up his policies now? It is because they need some good policies they can pinch, being totally unable to find any of their own.

If I were a Labor supporter I would be hiding my head in shame, at the dreadful hate campaign the red head has dredged up out of what ever gutter it is she lives in, with her criminal union mates.

Lets see. We have a man who has been faithful to his wife and brought up three daughters to be successful and we have a PM whose past is scandals, associated with union thievery, naivity, lying etc etc. Character does or should matter to some. It works its way out in public policy. The public could not be so stupid as to relelect the most incompetent and deceitful Government this country has ever had. Or could it? Reading the Abbottphobia by the above posters demonstrates why we as a country are sliding into Greece like so quickly.

Runner, I agree with you. Tony Abbott has had an exemplary private life, and Julia Gillard is living in sin. However,what is at issue is their performance in office and not their private life. Their private life is neither your business nor my business. Since Tony Abbott does so well in his private life I recommend that he be returned there.

Of course some think that Tony Abbott would make a better prime minister. If they are right that's where he should be. However, his exemplary private life is not a qualification for the job.

& David the corollary then would be that a very tainted business political, & private life is a qualification for becoming prime minister, in your eyes.

Well you lot should know. A couple of leaders or deputies in jail for pedophilia, & more than a few who reckoned union members should be paying their wages, & a hell of a lot more to boot. Present leadership included.

davidf

you cheat on your wife or husband you are far more likely to cheat on the public. You use hard earned union money for personal profit you far more likely to treat tax payer money with abandonment. The current crop in power have demonstrated this to anyone with eyes to see. Private philosophy usually works out in public policy. Why to you think the Labour party is so desperate to smear Abbott. They ignore their own leaders atrocious past and then try deperately to find something from Abbott's uni days ignoring Emily's list and descriptions of all wives being prostitutes. I take it from your comments that you dissaproved greatly of Peter Hollingsworth being hounded from office by the god haters on the basis of his personal philosophy and smear.

Dear Hasbeen,

Being a crook is not a qualification for office. Gillard has not been shown to have done anything crooked. What marital or sexual connections she has is her own business.

There is simply too much nosiness about what goes on in other people's bedrooms.

Pedophilia is a crime. Living with somebody without being married is not a crime.

Geoffrey Fisher, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, stated:

In a civilized society, all crimes are likely to be sins, but most sins are not and ought not to be treated as crimes. Man's ultimate responsibility is to God alone.

Bringing in pedophilia shows you are not aware of the difference between a sin and a crime.

Runner and hasbeen as you appear to be taking the high moral ground, in respect of the Australian Prime Minister private life.
Do you support a Royal Commission on sexual and physical abuse, that children suffered when in the so called care of all religous orders
(including Pentacostal).

A royal commission it is.....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-12/abbott-backs-call-for-child-abuse-royal-commission/4367364

Runner,
" Why to you think the Labour party is so desperate to smear Abbott"?

Based on the facts, surely you have it the wrong way around.

As for "God-haters", hate is a term only used by the religious, who have it down to an art form.

Dear runner,

Hollingworth was not pushed out of office because of hate for religion. He was pushed out of office because of his coverup of pedophilia.

If indeed any politicians of any political persuasion in this country even took the trouble to read our comments they may well laugh at our naivety. They know that we the voters are powerless to change the global corporate dominance of our economy or their acquiescence to American foreign policy demands.

If any of us take the trouble to look at what is staring us in the face we can notice that the government and the media constantly bombard us with highly charged local issues but never, never really address issues of national importance. At best we receive a smoke screen of confusion and spin. There is no need for me to outline the issues I am refering to since they are often the subject of discussion on sites such as this.

What really gets up my nose is that we are treated like moronic fools if we ever dare to question the status quo.
Den71

Kipp

I support castration for all kiddie fiddlers. How about you? I have no problem with a royal commission into sexual abuse against kids. It needs to include politicians, artist, scouts, churches, indigeneous communities (where it is still rife) etc.

No doubt Abbott and Pell were in conference last night.
People do not agree with abbott.
Overstepped the line of moral standing.
Use by date expired.
Nothing between the ears.
Roll back not popular
Carbon tax failure.
Nothing left to offer.