Tony Abbott: Turnbull is campaigning on my record

TONY Abbott has called for reform within the Liberals, oddly “daring” the party to suspend him in the process.

TONY Abbott has called for reform within the Liberals, oddly “daring” the party to suspend him in the process.

In an interview on Sky News, the former prime minister blasted party officials for the suspension of party members for speaking up on internal party matters.

Mr Abbott’s friend and fellow politician Ross Cameron, along with party members Charlie Lynn and Juris Laucis, have been suspended from the Liberal Party over comments resulting in “damage”, “embarrassment”, and “reducing the organisation’s prospects of success”, according to the state executive.

In Mr Abbott’s words, they were speaking out against “factional stitch-ups”, and called out the actions of lobbyists engaging in such behaviour to select future Senate candidates at the weekend.

Mr Abbott appeared disgusted by the action taken within “a democratic party”.

“They were just saying what needed to be said, and in a sense I dare the state executive to suspend me for saying, we need reform inside the NSW Liberal Party,” he said.

Tony Abbott is a ‘very enthusiastic’ support of the Turnbull Government. The more Abbott-esque parts of it anyway

During the heated interview, Mr Abbott made it clear he believes his prime ministerial spirit lives on in the election platforms of the Turnbull Government, essentially taking credit for a future Turnbull election victory.

“It’s very easy for me to campaign for the Turnbull Government because the Turnbull Government is running on the record of the Abbott Government, and that makes me a very enthusiastic supporter,” he said.

Mr Abbott said while Mr Turnbull had managed to introduce some policy changes, his own achievements had been far more significant.

“The Turnbull Government is seeking election fundamentally on the record of the Abbott Government stopping the boats, finalising the free trade agreements, our strong national security policy,” he said.

“It’s a very strong record.”

In an interview earlier last night Mr Turnbull appeared to pre-empt the attack of his vocal predecessor.

Malcolm Turnbull: Not quite on board with Tony’s claims.

When challenged by 7.30 host Leigh Sales on “the point” of him claiming leadership of the party when there has been “very little policy change”, the Prime Minister immediately took issue.

“That is quite untrue, if I may say so,” he said.

“Right across the board — between Tony and myself, Tony Abbott and myself — there is continuity. Of course, I was part of his government, part of his cabinet but already there is also a great deal of change. So, as you go from one Liberal PM to another, you have continuity and you have change, and there has been a lot of change.”

Mr Turnbull cited Senate voting reform, a focus on cities, media ownership reform and support of start-up companies as policies unique to his government.

Mr Abbott, of course, contested this, claiming he was going to get around to a few of those policies if he had the chance.

“I commend the Prime Minister for making the effort that was required to get a better Senate voting system in place, and think it’s important that the Senate reflects the real intentions of voters and not the deals of the senate whisperers,” he said.

“It was one of the matters that I was certainly intending to pursue as the last item of business for the current parliament and that’s pretty much how it’s turned out.”

The Prime Minister has unofficially entered campaign mode, yesterday announcing a tentative election date.

If the contentious ABCC bill is not passed through the Senate in a special sitting next month Mr Turnbull will call for both houses to be suspended in a double dissolution, prompting a federal election on July 2.