‘The gentleman’: Turnbull refuses to utter Abbott’s name
Malcolm Turnbull appeared to hit back at Tony Abbott in a speech in London, by claiming the Liberal Party should remain in the "sensible centre" Photo: AAP
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has repeatedly refused to say Tony Abbott’s name during an interview when asked about his predecessor’s latest critique of the government.
Speaking to the ABC’s PM program, Mr Turnbull would only refer to Mr Abbott as “the gentleman” when discussing the internal friction.
“I’m not going to comment on the gentleman you described, you’ve referred to,” he said.
“I’m not going to buy into personalities.
“But let me say this; the budget was a great success, it is a great Liberal budget.”
Mr Turnbull’s response followed a leaked audio recording from a Liberal Party branch meeting, where Mr Abbott claimed the government was trying to sell a second-rate budget.
On the tape, Mr Abbott can be heard to say ministers did not believe in the “second-best … taxing and spending” budget they had to deliver.
Mr Abbott’s office claimed the comments were in relation to the challenges faced by the government in the Senate.
But Mr Turnbull said the budget had been well received by the public.
The Prime Minister refused to say whether he thought Mr Abbott was trying to undermine his leadership.
And he would not be drawn on whether Mr Abbott would ever feature in a Turnbull cabinet.
“I know you’re interested in the gentleman you described, but I’m not,” he said.
“This is your interest, my focus is on the 24 million Australians I’m elected to represent.”
Abbott defends criticism, says Turnbull needs to be ‘best possible’ PM
However, Mr Abbott said it was his “duty” to offer support and criticism of the government’s direction.
He repeated his view that the Liberal Party was at a “low ebb”, but denied he was trying to destabilise the government.
“As backbench members of Parliament we have a right, sometimes a duty, to say our piece,” he told 2GB on Wednesday afternoon.
“You only have to look at the support for other parties on the right, to see that we are at a bit of a low ebb.
“Now the challenge for all of us is to do whatever we reasonably can to put us in the best possible position to win the next election.
“The best thing for Australia is that Malcolm Turnbull be the best possible Prime Minister.”
-ABC
