Andrew Bolt: Time’s running out for Malcolm Turnbull
THE only thing saving Malcolm Turnbull from being sacked as PM is the lack of an obvious successor, writes Andrew Bolt.
Andrew Bolt
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ONLY one question is saving Malcolm Turnbull from being sacked as Prime Minister now rather than later.
If not Turnbull, who? That’s what Liberal MPs have agonised over for weeks, as Turnbull digs them an ever deeper grave.
TONY ABBOTT STIRS TENSIONS WITH MALCOLM TURNBULL AGAIN
They’ve dodged the obvious answer — former prime minister Tony Abbott, deemed too damaged. They toyed first with Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, who was popular in the polls. But it’s now obvious that if Turnbull is the problem, Turnbull in skirts isn’t the solution. What does she stand for? Who trusts this “loyal deputy” to four leaders? What policy smarts has she shown?
Then there’s Treasurer Scott Morrison. But this notional conservative ratted on Abbott as PM and is now trusted by neither side. He also shares the blame with Turnbull for not crafting an economic strategy that sells.
It’s now clear to many MPs that Abbott was right. Under Turnbull, the Liberals moved too far Left, offering Labor-lite policies on spending, debt, school funding, higher taxes, bank bashing and global warming. That’s why Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne was such a fool last Friday, boasting in a private speech leaked to me that the Liberal Left was “in the winner’s circle” of Turnbull’s government and now planned another lurch Left, giving us same-sex marriage “sooner than everyone thinks”.
So the growing consensus is that government must indeed move Right, but Turnbull is not a credible messenger of conservative values.
Now some MPs are checking over Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, who has pushed hard for a bigger role. Dutton is undoubtedly conservative and combative and his lack of charisma could be a plus — proof he’s straight-talking in an age sick of spin.
But he must still reassure even his supporters that he has the breadth of knowledge a prime minister needs and the political smarts to out-campaign Labor.
That leaves Abbott. As his Brisbane speech on Tuesday confirmed, he’s still the Liberals’ most cut-through communicator and has a winner’s record for picking the right issues to beat Labor.
But too many colleagues still don’t trust him to be a team player. Too many blame him for destabilising and think he’s too unpopular.
The choice is not easy, but once it’s whittled down to Dutton or Abbott (with Abbott favourite), Turnbull is toast.
Lockdown will kill Victorians — but not from coronavirus
Politicians are destroying Australia — throwing a million people out of work, causing suicides — because they’ve fallen for two great weaknesses, both of which will extend crippling lockdowns much longer than necessary, writes Andrew Bolt.
Record day proves crude bans on freedom don’t work
Victoria’s new record of 725 infections is more evidence that the government’s hard line policies on masks and lockdowns aren’t working as planned, writes Andrew Bolt.