OPINION: Abbott lands a hit on own government again

ANOTHER Newspoll has been released with another dip in popularity for the Turnbull government, which has dropped one point to 46%.

Tony Abbott arrives for Question Time in Parliament. Picture: MICK TSIKAS

ANOTHER Newspoll has been released with another dip in popularity for the Turnbull government, which has dropped one point to 46% while Labor holds a potentially election-winning lead of 54%.

And once again the lead-up to this Newspoll was dominated by another extraordinary reprise by Tony Abbott in his role as Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

The week before a poll has become something akin to the witching hour for the Turnbull government. It's that period when the former PM again forgets his promise not to snipe from the backbench and goes on the attack.

This cycle has been a particularly fruitful one for our Tony, who has been able to upturn apple carts on both marriage equality and energy policy.

Each time Mr Abbott speaks up on these issues his positions seem more and more outlandish and, one might think, more damaging to his own credibility.

However, those comments also underline the division within the Federal Government and the impossibility of coming up with, say a coherent energy policy that tackles greenhouse gas emissions and starts bringing power prices back down from the crazy-town levels they currently inhabit.

The big question of course, is what is Mr Abbott's endgame in all of this? It can't be to get back into the Prime Minister's office. At this point most of his colleagues would rather poke their own eyes out than vote him in as leader.

To quote Michael Caine from the Dark Knight: "... some men aren't looking for anything logical ... Some men just want to watch the world burn".