Abbott was elected to do the adult things that the previous 'leaders' were incapable of doing because they were incapable of admitting they'd been wrong.

Boats, CO2 and mining taxes. There's not point in going over them again but the people could see that the ALP was wrong, Abbott was right and they votd accordingly.

But once Abbott had done what the 'intelligentsia' in the media had said was not possible and implemented these changes he had to move on to the next set of changes the country needed and needs.

Previously, that change was needed was both obvious and cost-free. But after that the changes were less obvious and not always cost-free.

As the China/mining boom grinds to a halt and our lucky run evaporates, those who look to the future see that change is now required. In regard to this there are three types of politicians - those who see the unfolding problems and seek to prepare the nation for them, those who see the problems but seek to delay the solutions in preference to popularity, and those who deny the problems.

Abbott was in the first group. Turnbull is in the second. I think much of the ALP is there also while many are in the third group.

Australians aren't ready to be told that things are dire and previous profligacy needs to be curtailed. They aren't ready to be told that we can't afford our previous profligacy in health services, or Gonski, or that NDIS can't be paid for, or that the current pension system will be unsustainable.

Abbott tried to tell the nation but I doubt even a much better salesman than he, would have been able to get the message through.
The day will come, and quicker than most think, when we see the folly of not taking precautions now and that the Abbotts of this time were prescient.

And when that happens, the politicians will be blamed. But like Greece and IReland and Japan and Brazil, the real cause will be a national determination to live like the good times will never end.

LOL Fox,

Give up the spin. That is straight out of the ALP slime bucket of talk points.

The 'asylum seeker' advocates and NGOs did very well out of Labor and they must be upset that their previous growth industry has faltered with the successful stopping of the boats.

Astroturfing NGOs would be still hounding Abbott out of politics for upsetting their apple cart with the examples from Europe, Germany especially.

So it's everyone to the attack positions, eh Fox?

Abbott isn't even up for election, so this is only smear and bunting to keep attention away from the real man (sort of man) of the moment, Willie 'Whatever She Says' Shorten.

Shorten has not come out of the Union Royal Commission so well himself and is continuing to do all that he knows and does best, protecting grubs like the CFMEU.

In the US, any union bosses that acted like those from the CFMEU, BLF and AWU would very likely have been enjoying 2016 from a gaol cell.

What are you on about Onthebeach?
Who has ever mentioned Bill Shorten but yourself?
Everyone knows Turnbull will wipe the floor with Bill come election time, and there will be no need to trot out his shady past dealings, because he would lose the election even without those problems.

Mhaze, if Abbott was so fabulous, why did his own colleagues see the need to shaft him? It wasn't as though there was an election and the voters threw him out...

If is such a shocker (and he is), why aren't his colleagues in revolt, insisting that he do something about those corrupt unions that the Labor Party is in bed with and Willie Shorten obviously represents?

The reason is that they can't do anything, is because the same unions control Labor, annoint the leader and set policy. That is the policy that matters - which leaves Shorten, Plibersek, Wong and Co dabbling with trivia like homosexual marriage and 'poisonous' carbon dioxide (remember Galah'd?).

BTW, if Galah'd was so convinced about global warming and rising seas, why did she sell her house in a safe area and buy into a $2million 'bungalow' right on the coast?

If the theme of the thread is Unpopular Politicians (and it is) then Ms Galah'd and Shorten must rate high on the list.

First sentence above should be,

"If L'il Willie Shorten is such a shocker (and he is), why aren't his colleagues in revolt, insisting that he do something about those corrupt unions that the Labor Party is in bed with and Willie Shorten obviously represents?"

The rank and file are unimpressed and by Shorten's lack of policies too, but their views are rendered valueless by the casting vote of the factions.

So much for democracy in the 'Progressive' Labor Party. It is all union thuggery and back room deals. Nothing has changed.

Foxy sweetie, you do worry me. I do wish you would accidently sit on those rose coloured glasses you always wear. We really can't afford to look at our crumbling world through such false colouring.

If a lying, conniving, egotistical slime ball like Turnbull is our hope for the future, god help us.

If we are as stupid as the Yanks appear to be, & actually elect him, he will sell us to the investment bankers so quickly your head will spin, if you actually notice through those pretty glasses.

Incidentally, great to have you back, pretty glasses & all. Hope your health continues to improve.