There is a vast difference between being action man and running a country as Prime Minister.
One can admire the former in Abbot but he has yet to prove himself in the latter role.
Personally I think it is time he discarded the action man cape and began to act like a leader, our Prime Minister. Sadly I feel that may be one step too far for Tony.
We appear to have a dearth of Leaders in Australia right now, right across the spectrum of political activity.

SD

"If I'm right, and if he can keep it up, then he has the potential to be one of the great Prime Ministers".

Hardly - he gives priority to doing things that give him a buzz and so far seems to have a very peculiar notion of appropriate Prime Ministerial conduct, from gagging his 'merit selected' Ministers to being a national embarrassment in Asia with his grovelling apologies for all the offensive things he said in opposition. If he has some spare time - and as a fully engaged Prime Minister he shouldn't have much spare time at all - he could usefully spend it learning what the job entails.

As for the fire fighting, my concern is that resources will be diverted to making sure he is safe, because although he does his best to be one of the gang everyone knows who he is. I want our firies and their commanders to be able to focus on what they do best without the distraction of worrying about the Prime Minister.

are there any fellow fireys on here to respond? I can't think of one member of the fire brigade that would take him anywhere near the fires if they thought that. You are risking your life out there, the weakest man in the team is the strength of the team. If I thought he was going to get in the way or need protecting he would be told "Get Out"

What is abundantly clear is that Tony Abbott is not Prime Minister material. Put him on a bike or let him enter a surf carnival and he'll perform adequately, just like most amateurs usually do.

Of course, our Tony hasn't recalled Parliament yet, has he? Not for him standing in the glare of publicity, or being forced to answer questions and think on his feet and expose his poor command of the English language.

He would much rather prefer to be holding a fire hose rather than do that or fillet fish wearing a hair net. Tony is a bit of a mixed-up person who is unsure of who or what he should be.

He has fallen into the role of Prime Minister almost by accident. As with Gillard and Rudd, the extent of his deficiencies will soon become evident. Will Tony realize them?

Not on your Nellie! Plodders never do.

Bec, there is no suggestion that TA doesn't pull his weight as a firefighter or 'need protecting' but just because he IS Prime Minister he could distract attention from the job at hand. And I doubt if anyone is likely to tell him to get on his bike just because he is the PM.

I'd put money on his whereabouts being known at all times by the head of the RFS and for there being contingency plans to divert resources to pull him out of trouble if necessary. How many ordinary firies get that sort of attention?

".... Sadly, the true heroes, the women and men on the frontline risking their lives daily to fight this inferno are muted in the narratives accompanying Tony Abbott's pressers and photo ops."

Tony Abbott is a serial self-promoter.

There is something cringe-worthy about a bloke who breezes in for a photo-op, drive a truck or to watch a back-burn, attaching his own reputation to the bravery and hard work of those who are fighting fires in hellish conditions on the front lines.