Tony Abbott warns overthrowing PM would anger voters

TONY Abbott has warned overthrowing Malcolm Turnbull would not end the federal government’s electorate woes amid future speculation over the PM’s future.

TONY Abbott has warned that overthrowing Malcolm Turnbull will not end the federal government’s woes, amid ­further speculation over the Prime Minister’s future.

His warning comes as a senior Turnbull Government minister said any vote-swapping deals with One Nation would be “poison” among voters.

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Nervous Queensland MPs within the federal government have also been warned to “remain calm” amid the fallout from the state’s election which threatens to cause more disunity in Canberra.

Mr Abbott, deposed by Mr Turnbull in September 2015, said: “The era of the political assassin has to end.”

“One of the reasons why the public is so turned off politics and politicians is they see all of this … and they do get that people are acting dishonourably, that people are behaving badly,” Mr Abbott said in a Sydney radio interview.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has warned against overthrowing Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: AAP

“You might gain a short-term advantage from it if your rival is damaged, but the long- term damage is to the system as a whole.”

In Queensland, Nationals MPs are lobbying for a split from their Liberal colleagues in the state to help fight the high regional vote of One Nation.

But Attorney-General ­George Brandis, government leader in the Senate, sent a thinly veiled message that deals with Pauline Hanson’s party must not be considered.

Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: AAP

“Flirting with One Nation is poison for either side of politics and my attitude to One Nation, with whom I deal courteously and professionally in this chamber ... nevertheless is that it has nothing to offer the people of Queensland,” Senator Brandis said.

Rejecting calls to demerge the state’s Liberal and National parties, one senior Liberal MP called for calm.

He said being seen as too close to One ­Nation had the hurt the LNP in the state’s southeast without winning it any votes in central and northern Queensland.

The Turnbull Government is also staring down an internal revolt from Nationals senators threatening to launch a bid for a commission of inquiry into banking. The move, if successful, would be an embarrassment for Mr Turnbull.

Queensland Nationals federal MP George Christensen, who has vowed to cross the floor on the issue, has ­announced a website to push for a probe.

He said he had heard too many harrowing stories of farmers and small business owners being taken to the wall by the big banks.

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