Open dismay among Tony Abbott’s ministers at his gong for Prince Philip on Monday brings the issues on which senior Coalition people are at each others’ throats to the round half-century. Alan Austin reports.
FIFTY ISSUES now split the Abbott Government. None of them is trivial. They all impact the capacity to govern.
They raise many questions the mainstream media is conspicuously failing to address.
Is this the most divided government in the Westminster world ever?
Are there fundamental contradictions within the Coalition which render effective decision-making impossible?
Were these unresolvable conflicts evident in Opposition, but papered over by craven Canberra commentators committed to delivering Coalition victory, however incompetent and divided its ranks?
When will these divisions lead to another leadership contest?
And crucially, is there any way this Government under any leader can continue for another 20 months when the first 16 have been so abysmally dysfunctional?
This list counts backwards chronologically, each with a link to details.
50. Knighthoods
Abbott's cabinet colleagues are reportedly publicly 'bewildered, angered and dismayed’ by his unilateral decision to knight Prince Philip.
This is escalating fast. 'Abbott ringing round backbenchers to shore up support' #Libspill #auspol http://t.co/aERajlK66a
— News Australia (@NewsAustralia) January 27, 2015
49. Medicare backflips
Ministers committed to slugging patients more for medical care include Abbott, Treasurer Joe Hockey, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Small Business Minister Bruce Billson and former Health Minister Peter Dutton. Those against – who seem to have won the latest stoush – include new Health Minister Sussan Ley.
48. Drought assistance
Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce referred to colleagues as “the shits in cabinet” after they refused more aid for drought-stricken farmers last month.
47. Workchoices
Former Howard Government minister Peter Reith slammed Abbott for ‘not lifting a finger’ on industrial relations. Workchoices remains divisive within the Abbott camp.
46. Bishop to Peru
Abbott’s office vetoed Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attending the UN climate meeting last month. Bishop, according to a colleague, first “went bananas”, then went over the PM’s head for cabinet approval.
But she did not go alone. Abbott assigned climate change sceptic Trade Minister Andrew Robb as "chaperone".
Deputy leader Julie Bishop once again tells the world how she rolled her Prime Minister in Cabinet on the Peru visit http://t.co/x9ktahZ091
— Stephen Mayne (@MayneReport) December 14, 2014
45. Navy ships
The internal punch-up over the capacity of Australian companies to fill defence contracts led to a second ministerial sacking (after Arthur Sinodinos). Defence Minister David Johnston lost his job.
44. Scott Morrison to social security
Abbott copped a savage serve from respected Liberal elder John Valder on Christmas Eve:
‘Tony Abbott will never learn. His harsh and inhumane policies on refugees, young people, the unemployed and so on have already (and deservedly) earned him acute unpopularity. Now he appoints his henchman Morrison to apply his blowtorch to all social welfare recipients.’
The former NSW and federal party president’s open letter concluded:
‘I have to say shame on you Abbott, Morrison and Hockey ... you will have dumped on the entire Liberal Party community.’
43. Direct climate action
The Nationals almost torpedoed the November legislation in bitter backroom brawls.
The Nats are reported to have told the Libs:
‘We’re loyal partners. We’re in the trenches together ... But don’t step over us again.’
The Nats reportedly said the Libs were "shitting themselves" over the threat.
About time: how positive is the science on C sequestration? Nats ready to turn on Abbott | The Saturday Paper http://t.co/T81gOhY6rX
— Prof. Peter Doherty (@ProfPCDoherty) November 16, 2014
42. Asia Pacific infrastructure investment bank
Trade Minister Robb and Treasurer Hockey persuaded cabinet to support China’s proposal for the new bank. Foreign Minister Bishop then used the cabinet's National Security Committee to roll the two men.
41. Burqa ban
The unseemly spat between Abbott and Speaker Bronwyn Bishop simmered publicly for several days in October. The PM claimed he was unaware of the speaker’s ruling to isolate women wearing burqas inside Parliament House. Colleagues publicly challenged Abbott’s truthfulness.
40. Local v faction preselections
Former Howard government minister Jackie Kelly resigned in disgust from the Liberal Party during a bitter dispute over preselections.
She condemned
"... the corrosive control that self interested lobbyists have over the NSW Liberal Party."
39. ANU divestment
The National University’s decision to sell its fossil fuel shares sparked a heavyweight fight between Abbott, Hockey, Environment Minister Greg Hunt, Education Minister Christopher Pyne and Assistant Minister Jamie Briggs who opposed the sell-off and party elders John Hewson and Malcolm Fraser who supported the decision.
38. Anti-corruption
The proposal for a federal independent commission against corruption continues to divide Liberals. NSW Libs insist this is essential, while the Federal Libs are implacably opposed.
NSW Liberals call for federal #ICAC the party was in grip of factional warlords & lobbyists http://t.co/N1ABBYozOe via @guardian #Auspol
— Geoffrey Payne (@geoffrey_payne) November 2, 2014
37. Renewable energy target
Scrapping the RET splits the cabinet. Greg Hunt, Abbott and others want it scaled back. Christopher Pyne, Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane and others want it to stay.
36. Youth welfare
The bipartisan parliamentary Human Rights Committee, chaired by Liberal Dean Smith, embarrassed the PM and treasurer, and exposed further divisions, when it found that the May budget proposal to impose a six months wait for welfare payments breached human rights. So did the proposed age criteria.
35. Abbott’s metadata decree
The August decision forcing telecommunications companies to keep customers’ phone and internet records for two years dismayed, not only industry and voters, but also Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull who had not been consulted.
According to The Age:
‘... to Turnbull it appeared to be a calculated effort by the Prime Minister’s office to humiliate him.’
34. Hockey’s arrogance towards the poor
Outrage was expressed within Coalition ranks at Hockey’s offensive comments following his failed May budget.
According to Fairfax:
‘... furious ministerial colleagues turned on the Treasurer over comments they variously described as "stupid and wrong", a "bad example of how to make a point" and "loose language".’
That's the greatest insult @JoeHockey telling poor people that they are so poor they don't own cars #auspol pic.twitter.com/lhCCWDHK2L #qldvotes
— Zacaly News (@ZacalyNews) January 26, 2015
33. Racial discrimination
Abbott infuriated half his Coalition colleagues with his decision before the last election to abolish section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. Indigenous Liberal MP Ken Wyatt vowed to cross the floor to oppose any change.
Abbott then infuriated the other half when he broke that promise in August.
Former WA Liberal leader Bill Hassell condemned the backflip as
"... an unconditional surrender to narrow interest groups against the interests of the Australian people."
32. Anti-terror laws
Former Liberal federal treasurer Peter Costello mocked Abbott’s inept anti-terror response:
'Does the government believe there are leaders in our community whose commitment to their fellow citizens and the values of a civilised society is so weak they will not co-operate in preventing terror and murder if section 18C is repealed? If that is the case we really do have a problem.'
31. Team Australia
Former Liberal leader Malcolm Fraser blasted Abbott – not for the first time – over his "Team Australia" rhetoric. The ex-PM described Abbott’s language as "divisive”, “counter-productive” and “terrible”. Peter Costello joined the attack.
'See Tony, no blue, I refuse to be part of your faux Team Australia, it is damaging our State'! #auspol pic.twitter.com/OCBWWeP7Md
— Shane Matthew Neave (@shane25873) January 27, 2015
30. Bypassing the Senate
Coalition frontbenchers denounced Joe Hockey for threatening in July to slash funding outside the usual parliamentary process.
A senior Liberal accused Hockey of opening up another front for attacks:
"It was a gift to Labor … it was an own goal."
29. Hockey v Turnbull
Personal bitterness between Hockey and Turnbull was exposed in July with the release of the biography Hockey: Not your average Joe. The book quoted Hockey’s wife saying he would never trust Turnbull.
28. ABC top jobs
Bizarrely, the decision by the prime minister’s department to stack the ABC with Liberal Party activists was taken without consulting the responsible minister.
While Malcolm Turnbull withheld overt criticism, he confirmed he had been bypassed and admitted:
“... there is concern about politics in all of this."
27. Abbott’s sexism
Retiring Liberal Senator Sue Boyce described Julia Gillard's famous misogyny speech as “powerful” and “a brilliant speech”.
But she disagreed with the former PM labelling Abbott a misogynist:
“It would have been more accurate if she had called him a sexist."
26. Fuel excise Libs v Nats
National Party MPs were played for suckers over raising the fuel excise when the Liberals pretended they wanted also to chop the diesel fuel rebate. In a "deal" to "save" their precious diesel rebate, the Nats agreed to raise petrol excise.
It worked. Liberals have since bragged about how they ‘played the Nats’.
25. Paid parental leave
Abbott’s colleagues are deeply divided over his pet scheme. Nationals Ron Boswell, John Williams and Barry O’Sullivan say they will cross the Senate floor to oppose it.
24. Asylum seekers
Former Liberal Party chief John Valder describes Abbott’s policies as ‘harsh and inhumane’.
Former senator Sue Boyce said:
"I think the whole asylum seeker issue is sort of fraught with dog whistling."
Malcolm Fraser claims Abbott has "destroyed the rule of law as we know it" by giving the immigration minister "dictatorial, tyrannical powers" over the lives of asylum seekers.
23. Liberal Party constitution
Federal ministers Christopher Pyne and George Brandis brawled openly in June over proposed changes to the party’s constitution and procedures for making changes.
22. Cutting science funding
Liberal ex-premier of Victoria Jeff Kennett condemned
“... removing money from science when we have a very good record in science, whether it's medical, whether it's engineering, whether it's the cochlear, whether it's CSL ... We can't afford to start sending out messages, not only to the world, but to our young, that science and engineering aren't two of the highest priorities.”
21. Unfair May budget
The punitive 2014 Federal Budget was vigorously supported by Abbott, Hockey, Cormann and others. It was openly attacked by Liberal NSW Premier Mike Baird and ex-Liberal leaders Malcolm Fraser, John Hewson and Jeff Kennet. Anonymous leaks from Coalition MPs confirm widespread internal dissent.
Joe Hockey's 2014 Budget is the most unfair ever according to @1RossGittins you mean like this? pic.twitter.com/X5DIGzFarO
— Lord Finnigans 平大王 (@Thefinnigans) November 30, 2014
20. Lack of vision
John Hewson laments this glaring failure:
“There’s no clear, consistent message, other than, ‘We have to cut and cut more just to get the budget numbers’, not with any reform purpose. It’s unfair and it’s inconsistent. A bit of vision is what’s really called for.”
Jeff Kennett agrees:
“I've always believed that leadership is not difficult, but leadership requires simplicity, good people, a vision ... I'm worried, terribly worried.”
19. ABC independence
Abbott attacked the ABC last January for reporting news critical of Australia’s military. Malcolm Turnbull openly repudiated the PM.
18. Saving SPC
Cabinet members Ian Macfarlane and Barnaby Joyce wanted fruit company SPC saved through a rescue package last January, as did local Liberal MP Sharman Stone. After an acrimonious fight, Hockey and Abbott knocked them all off.
Those are the latest 33 areas of conflict. The first 17 all arose within the first four months and were listed here at IA in December 2013.
Several of these, notably ABC funding, same-sex marriage and the power of Peta Credlin, have intensified since that report.
Murdoch demands Peta Credlin quit as @MirandaDevine presents goofball @ChrisKKenny as her replacement. #auspol pic.twitter.com/NETihPsaWU
— News Australia (@NewsAustralia) January 28, 2015
Retaining the original numbering, those issues were:
1. Same sex marriage
2. Cabinet solidarity
3. The Liberal club
4. Ministerial portfolios
5. Order to sack family members
6. Honouring Gary Humphries
7. Marginalising MPs
8. Peta Credlin’s power
9. Travel rorts scandal
10. School funding fiasco
11. Grain Corp sale
12. Holden closure
13. Badgerys Creek airport
14. ABC and SBS funding
15. Wage levels
16. Relations with Indonesia
17. Northern development
That makes an even 50 — in 16 months. Are there more to come? Almost certainly. Such is Australia’s doom.
You can follow Alan Austin on Twitter @alantheamazing.
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