Dear Shadow Minister,

You wrote;

“I suppose it is the knifing season. First Milne got the boot, then Abbott. It is a pity as he was by far the best PM in 8 years.”

No he very patently was not.

The polls clearly showed those who voted him in had deserted him now his own party passed its collective judgement and have done the same. Why?Because he has been the worst prime minister in living memory.

Keep in mind he had already faced sacking 6 bloody months ago. We knew how bad he was off the bat, it just took your lot a little longer to recognise it.

Foxy

'I wish Mr Abbott and his family well.'

That's not necessary. When Abbott retires from parliament, he will have a taxpayer-funded pension of $250,000+ per year over and above his ridiculously generous tax-payer funded superannuation.

He will be able to take his pick from numerous and lucrative offers to sit on the boards of various multi-national corporations and, if that doesn't suit him, take up a cushy job in some UN council for the rights of something or other, or the international diplomatic service (Ambassador to the Vatican?).

He'll be fine. Don't you worry.

Killarney, I imagine Abbott will be as well taken care of in post PM life as all the other ex-PM's, and I say good luck to him.

Your negative views on Turnbull won't sway me from being just so delighted that Abbott has gone. I have never been a fan of Julie Bishop, but I am hoping that with Abbott gone we may get more quality female pollies to even things up a bit.

Suseonline

To quote the ABC: ‘Mr Turnbull said he would lead a "thoroughly Liberal government" committed to freedom, the individual and the market.’

OH-MY-GOD! Haven’t we heard this all before? For the last thirty years?

And look where all that freedom, the individual and the market has put us? We now have a global financial mess of monumental proportions and perpetual war. Virtually every country in the Western world is now embroiled with a gross national debt, private sector debt and household debt that is impossible to pay off. And we have lost track of the number of countries we are now at war with.

If he appoints more women to his cabinet to achieve his freedom, individual and market ambitions, well YAY! for feminism.

For now, I will reserve my delight in Abbott’s fall until there is a worthy successor to replace him. Turnbull is not that successor. Until we can come up with an antipodean equivalent to Jeremy Corbyn, or to a lesser extent, Bernie Sanders or Ron Paul, it will be just ‘screw the poor, bomb the rest’ business as usual.

Australia has always lagged about two years behind the rest of the West in getting with the times. Watch this space in 2017.

I have never experienced schadenfreude and most likely never will.

The Liberals' treatment of Abbott was shabby and unnecessary. What leader or manager would not have some sympathy with Jeff Kennett's view that the Australian public was tired of "personal self-interest overriding national interest" and "The opportunity was there for the party to come together as a team, to march into Canning as a team".

I didn't support Gillard who white-anted and then knifed Rudd, or Rudd when he undermined and knifed Gillard in return.

Five PMs in short order is not a record Australia should be proud of.

Nor should the taxpayer-funded national broadcaster be proud of its tabloid 'Got Ya' journalism and its informal editorial policy that puts 'Progressive' populism ahead of rigorous independence and factual reporting.

I agree with the consensus that Mr Abbott has been
the worst Prime Minister this country has ever had
and hopefully the man will now retire from politics
altogether and not cause any further
problems for the Liberal Party. However he's a vindictive
fighter and I suspect a sore loser -
and deep down I don't believe that he'll go
quietly with any sort of grace or dignity. Hopefully I
shall be proven wrong.

As for Jeff Kennett's comments. They're to be expected.
He as Premier was a disaster
for Victoria. He wrecked so many lives - especially those
of the handicapped and then he's got the nerve to start
up "Beyond Blue," for people suffering from depression -
when he was the cause of depression and mental illness in
so many people in the state. Mr Kennett's firm belief in
the hierarchical structure, in no toleration of any dissent,
in complete obedience to the rules no matter what - stems from
his army background and explains his anti Turnbull speech
last night. Kennett is a n ignorant man who should simply
be ignored.

For the first time in years I now am looking forward to
the future under Mr Turnbull's leadership of the Liberal
Party.