Tony Abbott fires back at Warringah challenges

Tony Abbott has spoken of the fight he faces to retain his seat, fearing that significantly bankrolled campaigns could get an “ordinary candidate” over the line.

Tony Abbott pictured at his Manly office. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian

• Alice Thompson: Abbott is destructive politician
• Zali Steggall: Abbott is a bad role model for youth

Tony Abbott has spoken of the fight he faces to retain his seat, fearing that significantly bankrolled campaigns could get an “ordinary candidate” over the line.

In a wide-ranging interview the former prime minister told the Manly Daily:

● Claims he was “out of touch” was cheap political pointscoring.

● His views on climate change were not important to his electorate.

● He would not rule out serving as prime minister again.

“It is going to be a tough election, there’s no doubt about that,” he said of the intense campaigning against him.

His comments came as the GetUp! lobby group announced plans to doorknock all 64,000 homes in Warringah.

“The unions have said they have hundreds of thousands of dollars to put behind independents … there’s no doubt they would love a big scalp,” Mr Abbott said.

Mr Abbott said he expects to see off his challenges at this year’s election. Picture: Kym Smith

“GetUp! is campaigning furiously … and there was a report that climate-focused business people were prepared to put up to a quarter of a million into an independent campaign.”

Asked if he was worried, the 61-year-old said: “Look, with enough money and enough savvy campaigning even a pretty ordinary candidate could get far.

“But I have never taken this seat for granted and I have faced challenges before.

“Back in 2001 Peter Macdonald ran very strongly against me. He was the publicly elected mayor and a politician of great substance. He had a strong local machine and backing from the unions. But I saw off that challenge and I’m expecting to do the same this time.”

Candidates standing against him have branded the former prime minister as out of touch, particularly on climate change and same-sex marriage.

A bullish Mr Abbott rejected the claim his stance on climate change would swing the vote, arguing no more people are concerned about the issue than a decade ago.

Miriam Lyons and Django Merope-Syngevolunteers from GetUp! The lobby group has announced plans to doorknock every house in Warringah in the run up to the election.

“If you look at the polls from at least 2007 until now, roughly the same people have indicated that they are preoccupied with climate change.”

He said he was satisfied Australia was doing enough to tackle climate change and added he was wary of doing more.

“All of us want to reduce emissions. The question is just how much you are prepared to pay to reduce emissions. Just how much damage to the economy are you prepared to do.

“The idea that we should dramatically increase power costs, dramatically reduce power liability, drive our heavy industries offshore all in the name of reducing Australia’s emissions when nothing we do in this country will make a scrap of difference, given that we are 1.3 per cent of global emissions — I don’t buy that.”

On same-sex marriage, he said he was the one who made the plebiscite possible and while he was not happy with the result he accepted it and did not challenge it.

Zali Steggall, who will stand against Abbott, has criticised his stance on a number of issues. Picture: Jordan Shields

Fellow independent challenger Alice Thompson strongly condemned his views on climate change and same sex marriage. Picture: Troy Snook

“You win some, you lose some,” he said of the referendum. “But I accept it. Same sex marriage is now a fact of life, the law of the land. I accept that, I completely accept that.”

Locally he said by far the main issue for his electorate was the Beaches Link tunnel.

“On the Richter scale of significance the tunnel is 10-plus while everything else is no more than two or three,” he said. “If we don’t get it done it will condemn us to years and years of deteriorating lifestyles.”

When put to him it was a state issue he said a project of that size could not be pigeonholed and only a supportive Federal Government and MP could get it done.

He also played down the widely reported problems at Northern Beaches Hospital. He said media reports were the result of a few “bolshie doctors and unions” stirring the pot.

Mr Abbott, pictured at his electorate office in Manly, said the Beaches Link was the main issue for the people of the northern beachs. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian

“It is succeeding and it is a magnificent facility. Problems have been beaten out of all proportion.”

Both Alice Thompson and Zali Steggall, who have announced they are standing against Mr Abbott, have criticised his way of doing politics and have portrayed him as a power-hungry figure more interested in his own standing in Canberra than the people of Warringah.

“They should come down and see me on surf patrol or join me on a fire crew or come for a ride with me with Pollie Pedal,” he said.

“That is a caricature. It’s a grotesque caricature which again is just a cheap political smear.”

While restating his committed to the people of Warringah he didn’t rule becoming prime minister for a second time.

“It’s highly unlikely that I would ever return to the top job but I remain full of enthusiasm to serve the people of Warringah, to serve the Liberal Party and the country and who knows what the future holds.”

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