Backlash over ex-PM’s attack on Turnbull’s innovation policy

THE business community has come out swinging against Tony Abbott and his plea for a resurrection of his political career.

THE most damaging move Tony Abbott has launched against Malcolm Turnbull is to make political swear words out of “agile” and “innovative”.

It’s a kick in the guts to the Turnbull forward economic plan and a swipe at the Prime Minister’s personal style in addition.

And it is also a major worry for the most active innovators in the economy, small business, which revealed today it had given government MPs anti-Abbott warnings.

“We have looked people in the eye and said, ‘We do not want a change of prime minister’,” Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chief executive officer Peter Strong told news.com.au.

Or a major reshuffle.

This is a direct rebuff to any Abbott ambitions for regaining the leadership, or even to return to cabinet, which he made clear on Sunday is exactly what he wants.

“It is good we’re no longer talking about innovation and agility because that frankly loses people,” Mr Abbott told Sky News.

“We have to talk about the issues that they understand. We have to put it in terms of their interests and how we are going to advance their interests.”

Tony Abbott says the Malcolm Turnbull’s innovation agenda ‘frankly loses people’. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

The criticism was made in partnership with a bid by Mr Abbott to be given a cabinet slot, which most likely would have to be at the expense of a younger minister.

He was unabashed: “I guess it’s an issue for him whether I am or am not one of the 23 members of the party room most qualified to be in cabinet.”

But he made clear promotion would not necessarily see him become a Turnbull fan.

“You don’t have to idolise someone to be able to work with them,” he said.

“Peter Costello and John Howard sometimes had difficulties. But they worked very effectively together.”

However, attempting to turn “ability” and “innovation” into curse words will not go down well with the Prime Minister, who has identified a tribe of relatively young entrepreneurs who, he believes, are the economic hope of the side.

They are brimful of ideas and are a pain in the bottom line for bigger, staid competitors for consumer dollars. And they are creating jobs.

Small business advocates have argued against a change away from Malcolm Turnbull or a cabinet reshuffle. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Peter Strong believes Mr Abbott’s argument is more political than based on economic management.

“The word ‘agile’ is the key word. That’s what we do,” Mr Strong told news.com.au.

“The big end of town is holding back agility and innovation. Not all of them, but enough of them.”

And he revealed the message being taken to government benches.

“We’ve been going around to backbenchers and ministers in the government and saying, ‘We do not want a change of government or prime minister. For the sake of the economy’,” he said.

“They agreed on the change of government of course. But the ones who were not noted supporters of Turnbull, we were very strong with. We said there cannot be a change of prime minister. It must not happen.

“Because it would be a disaster for the economy just to have another change. A major reshuffle also would be very dangerous. We’ve had too many ministers.”