Tony Abbott vows to outlast Malcolm Turnbull in federal politics

EXCLUSIVE: TONY Abbott has told colleagues he is determined to stay in politics until Malcolm Turnbull is gone, promising he will be there to help pick up the pieces “when” the Prime Minister’s leadership falls apart.

Tony Abbott is determined to outlast his successor in parliament and promised to help pick up the pieces when “things go badly under Malcolm”. Picture: Kym Smith

• ‘We need strong conservative voices’
• ‘I was blocked at every step of the way’

TONY Abbott has told colleagues he is determined to stay in politics until Malcolm Turnbull is gone, promising he will be there to help pick up the pieces “when” the Prime Minister’s leadership falls apart.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Mr Abbott has vowed to outlast Mr Turnbull in federal politics, telling conservative colleagues and friends that he will stay to offer experience, if not leadership, when “things go badly under Malcolm”.

The former prime minister’s message to colleagues was not one of bitterness or vengeance, sources said, but a pledge to stay on and give them the conservative counsel they need.

A determined Mr Abbott says he is in no hurry to leave public life. Picture Kym Smith

“I’m in no hurry to leave public life because we need strong liberal conservative ­voices now, more than ever,” Mr Abbott said in a speech on Tuesday.

“We need to make Australia­ work again — because our country, plainly, is not working as it should. We are letting ourselves down. ”

His message comes as internal divisions fester in the party with several ministers concerned the Turnbull Government is moving too far to the left.

That party unrest follows inflammatory comments by cabinet minister Christopher Pyne to moderate faction colleagues on Friday night.

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The Daily Telegraph earlier revealed concerns held by senior Liberals about Mr Pyne in his performance as leader of the house, calling on Mr Turnbull to dump him or face leadership pressure.

Senior conservatives in cabinet do not support the plan to replace Mr Pyne.

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While describing his comments as an “error”, one Cabinet minister said he was an effective leader of the House.

Outlining his vision for how the Coalition can beat Labor at the next federal election, Mr Abbott spoke of a return to conservative policies and Liberal values.

He presented a policy path in direct opposition to Mr Turnbull’s, centred on lowering immigration, reducing spending and ruling  out  subsidies for renewable ­energy.

“The next election won’t be won by drawing closer to Labor. The next election can only be won by drawing up new battlelines that give our people something to fight for; and the public something to hope for,” he said.

Mr Abbott told the Institute of Public Affairs in Brisbane that Australia was a global success­ story a decade ago.

“Now we can’t look across the Tasman without a twinge of acute embarrassment,” he said.

Flake news as Mal pulls out the Trump card

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has taken a page out of President Donald Trump’s handbook and attacked the press for “fake news” following revelations about fractures within the Coalition frontbench.

For the first time, Mr Turnbull spoke of “fake news” in two separate media events yesterday, to deflect questions about personality-politics and whether the federal government owed additional funding to the Victorian Government.

“I hear all the commentary, I see all the click-bait, I see all of the fake news, I’m not interested in that,” Mr Turnbull said at a press conference.

Malcolm Turnbull in one of his media addresses yesterday. Picture: AAP

“I’m interested in results.”

Speaking on a Melbourne radio program, Mr Turnbull also used the phrase when responding to a caller who claimed the media did not support Mr Turnbull, and noted that people vote on personality.

“It is very often fake news, yeah it is. Well you know, it’s these sort of sensational, gossipy stories and you know, I’m sure they get more clicks than politics, but nonetheless it’s sensationalism and a lot of it is fake,” Mr Turnbull said to the caller.

Mr Turnbull’s criticism of gossipy and fake media followed widespread reporting about division in the most senior ranks of the Turnbull Government following an inflammatory speech by Defence Industries Minister Christopher Pyne at a soiree on Friday night.

Mr Pyne was recorded gloating about the rise of the Liberal Party’s Moderate faction, which caused former prime minister Tony Abbott to accuse him of disloyalty.

With KYLAR LOUSSIKIAN