Two senior ministers back Tony Abbott’s right to speak out after latest foray from former PM

TWO cabinet ministers have refused to criticise Tony Abbott’s latest backbench attack, signalling growing Coalition frustration at Malcolm Turnbull.

TWO top cabinet ministers have refused to criticise Tony Abbott’s latest attack on Malcolm Turnbull revealing growing Coalition frustration over the prime minister’s leadership.

In a column Mr Abbott penned for the Daily Telegraph that the government would lose the next election unless they started to “deliver” on core policies and dump others. He repeated a five-point plan for tackling the government’s woes that he first revealed in February.

Minister for Infrastructure Darren Chester backed Mr ­Abbott’s right to speak as a backbencher. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

But while his earlier backbench intervention led to a public dressing down from senior ministers, this time around Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester and Trade Minister Steve Ciobo backed Mr ­Abbott’s right to speak as a backbencher, The Australian reports.

Several senior Liberal MPs also told the paper they “could not disagree” with Mr Abbott’s ­assessment.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is facing growing internal divisions over his leadership. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

However, the former prime minister drew fire from other Liberals with Queensland MP Warren Entsch labelling him a “wrecker” who was waging “jihad” against Mr Turnbull, and calling on him to quit in an interview with Fairfax.

MP Warren Entsch attacked Mr ­Abbott’s column. Picture: Anna Rogers

While the Prime Minister’s office refused to comment on Mr ­Abbott’s column Mr Ciobo said “every backbencher” was welcome to raise policy ideas.

Mr Ciobo told The Australian he did not get overly concerned about “interventions of former prime ministers or backbenchers or others”.

Read more at The Australian

Originally published as Two senior ministers back Tony Abbott’s right to speak out after latest foray from former PM