The media cannot be blamed for destabilising
the Abbott Government. That simply does not
wash. The Murdoch press were in the Abbott
camp as were the popular shockjocks like -
Jones, Bolt, Hadley. Mr Abbott has only himself
to blame.

Ian McAuley writing for New Matilda tells us that
Australian politics has always been robust.
However Tony Abbott with his relentless attacks on
Labor elevated the conflict to new levels. Mr Abbott
saw Labor not as a rival, but as an enemy to be
destroyed by whatever means were at hand.

That approach as McAuley states may have put Mr Abbott
into the top position, but at a terrible cost.
Anything that Labor Government did had to be undone.
Even to the extent of going against the Liberal Party's
own principles. Most notably a market-based
approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
had to be abandoned in favour of the high-cost intervention
"direct-action" plan.

Sensible approaches to closing the budget deficit, such as
taxing "self-funded" retirees and shutting off company car
rorts were out of the question because they were "Labor"
ideas.

As McAuley says - the longer-term problem with the
combative model is that politics is not a "zero sum" game.
Rather it is a "negative sum," game. In the fight the
combatants inflict damage on each other and in so doing
bring the whole political process into disrepute.
Hence the growing cynicism - particularly among young
people.

Wouldn't it be great if the politicians would get the
message finally that the voters are sick and tired of
"trench-warfare," and would like to see -
meaningful, civilised, and courteous discussions.

With the election of an intelligent and capable new
Prime Minister hopes are set to the era of embittered
politics.

Of course neither Mr Abbott - as we saw from his
final speech - where he blamed the media for his downfall,
nor his rusted on supporters will get the message.
Their blinkered, narrow , rigid views belong on the
dust heap of history. Where they should simply with
time be blown away.

cont'd ...

Excuse my typo.

The closing paragraph should read that with the election of
a new Prime Minister - like Malcolm Turnbull
- intelligent and capable - hopes are set on an END to the era of embittered politics.

What the Conservative side of the liberal party think, does not matter fortunately. The Abbott era was a gigantic mistake, bought about by lies and lies. Abbott lovers will never support Turnbull, the two are very different. We Australians do not need or want Abbott’s type of politics.

Turnbull is the most likely to be PM for quite some time, the public will decide his tenure. Where as Abbott never stood a chance of a second term, he told lies and lies. He lost his own election in just under 2 years. And with him went his twisted policies.

So it is best you make an effort to say Abbott was a lame duck, and Turnbull is what we should have had in the first place. You may find the Abbott hard liners get the short shift at the next election.

The liberal party is supposed to be liberal and not infiltrated with outdated and backward Conservatives

Yes, it is a matter the real Liberal Party, and for that matter the real Labor Party, and the real spirit of Australians and a fair go.

I always like to read Don Aitkin's pieces. He's a hard guy to disagree with. Some hard-headed knowledge of politics, especially.

One small quibble. I live in the seat of Wentworth. From uni students (many at UNSW, and undoubtedly many Asian-Australians); ladies who come into David Jones' dripping with diamonds: expats who've returned; middle-aged people with school-aged kids; surfer dads and mums; many of the beautiful people, some still stunning at 50: and the huge single and/ or gay and lesbian population of Surry Hills...it's very diverse. Jews, Catholics, Hindus, Presbyterians, etc. And Malcolm manages to nurture all of them.

Not all climate change enthusiasts, but many of us concerned and unimpressed by Abbott who seemed like an educated oaf. And this unimpressive women whom he kept supporting- Cradling and Bishop, (the old slightly batty one.) I haven't met many people who are lamenting his departure. It shows how out of touch the shock jocks are.

Tony Abbott did not lay all blame at the feet of the media. He was right to level some criticism their way.

Many a celebrity or ordinary member of the public who has been used by the media to make sensationalist 'news' for their dumbed-down audiences would empathise with Abbott and second his pleas to the media to fulfill the high ethics the media outlets claim wherever they defend their privileged position in society.

Typically the media are very quick to leap on anyone with the temerity to point out the media's obvious failings. That is only to be expected. The attack is quite unprincipled in some cases and grudges are held long.

This is what Abbott is reported as saying,

<"If there's one piece of advice I can give to the media, it's this: refuse to print self-serving claims that the person making them won't put his or her name to. Refuse to connive at dishonor by acting as the assassin's knife."

and,

"The nature of politics has changed in the past decade. We have more polls and more commentary than ever before. Mostly sour, bitter, character assassination. Poll-driven panic has produced a revolving door prime ministership which can't be good for our country," he said.>

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/14/asia/australia-leadership-change/

Tabloids, dinosaurs, made increasingly irrelevant by new (as they might see it!) technology and not in touch with the changed lifestyles of the young and not-so-young.

Malcolm Turnbull, you know you should move to sell the taxpayer propped-up national broadcaster while bits of it might still attract a buyer.