Abbott: Fake Liberals have been planted in Warringah to undermine me

Former Prime Minister and current Warringah MP Tony Abbott has accused political lobby group GetUp of placing fake Liberals in his electorate to undermine his campaign for re-election.

Tony Abbott has accused political lobby group GetUp of planting fake Liberals in his electorate. Picture: John Appleyard

• At least 12 Liberal Party members abandon Abbott, support Steggall
• Ex-Australian Idol host James Mathison backs Zali Steggall

Warringah MP Tony Abbott has accused political lobby group GetUp of planting fake Liberals in his electorate to undermine his campaign for re-election.

The allegations have been denied by GetUp and Mr Abbott’s opponent, Zali Steggall.

Zali Steggall. Picture: AAP Image/Troy Snook

His comments follow the Manly Daily’s article stating at least a dozen Liberal Party members were actively campaigning for Ms Steggall, two of whom were mentioned in Saturday’s newspaper.

“They joined the Liberal Party as left wing entryists, precisely to cause trouble and it just goes to show how organised the GetUp campaign is,” Mr Abbott said.

“This is a very sophisticated operation, extremely well-funded, including by people who I suspect have a vested interest in removing from parliament people who are not as committed to the renewables industry, or renewables subsidies, as they like.

“The story here, I think, is not that one or two short-term Liberals were ostentatiously resigning. The story was that GetUp was sufficiently sophisticated to plant people.”

Tony Abbott (right) with one of his supporters on Monday. Picture: John Appleyard

Mr Abbott said there was “absolutely no doubt” that branch stacking attempts were made in Mosman branches of the Liberal Party in a bid to destabilise his support base.

“This group, the North Shore Environmental Stewards (founded by one of the former Liberals, Rob Grant), was created for the purpose of trying to get people, climate change activists into the Liberal Party for the purposes of making trouble for me,” he said.

Ms Steggall said she had no knowledge of insiders planted to disrupt her opponent and said his “negative rhetoric” was just designed to make people fearful.

Julie Giannesini (left) with Zali Steggall.

Rob Grant with Zali Steggall.

“I have nothing to do with GetUp,” she said. “Their focus on Warringah has nothing to do with me — and everything to do with Abbott; he is directly responsible for that.”

Mr Grant said NSES was focused on trying to tackle climate change and encouraging a bipartisan response. “I don’t understand why Mr Abbott is focused on attacking members of his own party and community,” he said.

Julie Giannesini, the other former Liberal named as a member of Ms Steggall’s team, said she joined the Liberals to encourage action on climate change and was not aware of any GetUp affiliations.

GetUp denied Mr Abbott’s accusations and called him out of touch with not only the community but also the party.

“Liberal voters are fed up with Tony Abbott’s inaction on climate change,” a GetUp spokesman said. “It’s the number one reason Liberal voters are deserting Abbott for other candidates.

Tony Abbott said he is facing the toughest election battle of his life. Picture: John Appleyard

“Tony Abbott should get back to the real reason Liberal voters are abandoning him: his failure to represent them on the issues that matter like climate change and marriage equality.”

In a wide ranging chat Mr Abbott said he faced the toughest election battle of his life against a well-funded, “slick and professional” Steggall campaign.

He conceded recent GetUp polling which has him trailing 54 per cent to 46 per cent was probably accurate and said the Liberal Party locally was playing catch up.

“The GetUp campaign makes this a knife-edge contest. They’ve been preparing this for a long time, for a decade,” he said. “The (James) Mathison campaign (2016) was a dress rehearsal for the Steggall campaign.”

He said he had been impressed with the Steggall campaign but described it as being “content free”.

“The only significant things that she’s told us so far is that Bill Shorten’s climate change policy doesn’t go far enough and that she’s never voted Liberal in her life at a federal election,” he said.

Tony Abbott campaigning at the Spit Bridge on Tuesday.

He said the most important matter for Warringah is the Beaches Link tunnel, adding that he would not leave public life until it is delivered.

He stopped short of announcing Federal funding for the tunnel. But when asked if he had any knockout blows to come he said: “Wait and see, never telegraph your punches.”

It is a state matter, but, he said progress would not have been possible without Federal support. If re-elected he said there would also be a Federal commitment to rebuilding Manly Life Saving Club and an adult Bear Cottage.

He described accusation that he’s done little for the electorate in his 25 years as “fantastical”.

He described his work with the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, which manages extraordinary foreshore sites as “by far” his biggest achievement followed by him securing funding for Manly’s Royal Far West upgrade and the redevelopment of Brookvale Oval. He also touched on immigration in the interview and called for a return to John Howard-era levels of annual immigration from 230,000 a year to 110,000 a year.

HANDSHAKES AND SELFIES AS ABBOTT TAKES TO STREETS

Whatever your think of Tony Abbott, you certainly can’t ignore him.

He’s one of the few Australian politicians who is recognisable around the world — and so it proved as he strolled around Manly on Monday.

“Hey, can I have a photo?” came a call from the corner of Ground Zero Cafe. “I’m from Austria and my friends have spoken about you.”

Tony Abbott talks to people in Manly on Monday. Picture: John Appleyard

If the former Prime Minister believed everything he read on social media he’d walk around town with a phalanx of bodyguards. But in the 40 minutes the Manly Daily spent with the 61-year-old the only interactions he had with his electorate were requests for selfies, friendly chats and handshakes.

However, there is no doubt many in Warringah have turned their back on Abbott.

He concedes GetUp’s recent polling (Steggall 54% to Abbott’s 46%) is accurate and that he now faces the biggest battle of his political life.

But if his outing on Monday proves anything, it’s that the battle for Warringah could be closer than many think.

Abbott, a talented boxer in his younger days, clearly enjoys the fight. If he is indeed going down, he is going down swinging.

Blog with Tony Abbott at manlydaily.com.au tomorrow (Wednesday) from 3.30pm.