A bit of Abbott never hurt anyone as former PM swears he’s here to help

The Australian’s John Lyons writes for our website, yesterday:

Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott are like two men holding each other under water until one of them drowns. Their parliamentary colleagues need to take action urgently by publicly declaring themselves for one or the other. Rather than a leadership spill, I think those members of the Coalition who believe this slow drowning of two men — and therefore their government — must end should say so publicly.

Mate, Tones is being so chill. The ex- prime minister on Sydney’s 2GB with Ben Fordham, Wednesday:

The last thing I want to do is to be difficult …

He’s not being difficult at all. Abbott at a Liberal fundraiser in Melbourne, Monday:

A party that has to do what’s second best because “the Senate made us do it” is a party which needs some help.

Quite the opposite. Abbott speaking at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, June 29:

Labor has actually been stronger than the government on the assertion of freedom of navigation rights in the South China Sea.

He’s really helping. Abbott on 2GB with Ray Hadley, June 26:

One of the problems when you have the political execution of a first-term, democratically elected prime minister is that there is long-term bad blood created and it takes time for those wounds to heal.

OK, Josh Frydenberg is a bit bothered by him. The Environment Minister on ABC radio, yesterday:

Well, Tony Abbott has to ask one simple question, his constant critiquing of the government, who’s benefiting most …?

OK, a lot of people are peeved. Niki Savva in The Australian, yesterday:

The Sky News-ReachTEL poll, which Abbott acolytes choose to ignore, said it all. A total of 73 per cent of Liberals prefer Turnbull as leader over Abbott.

But Abbott says Mal is totally cool. The former prime minister on 2GB, Wednesday:

Malcolm probably has his own way of showing his appreciation but I’m sure that he does.

Malcolm loves talking about Tony. The Prime Minister on the ABC’s PM program, Wednesday:

I’m not going to comment on the gentleman you described …

Acting Labor leader Tanya Plibersek in Melbourne, yesterday:

I saw the Prime Minister couldn’t bring himself to say Tony Abbott’s name today, so the Lord Voldemort of the Liberal Party is not the only problem that the Prime Minister has.

A bit of context for our older readers … Lord Voldemort’s Wikipedia entry:

Nearly every witch or wizard dares not utter his unmentionable name, and refers to him instead with such expressions as “You-Know-Who” …

He really can’t say it, can he? The PM on PM, Wednesday:

Matt Wordsworth: You keep using that phrase —

Prime Minister: Ah well —

Wordsworth: Gentleman — are you able to say his name?

Prime Minister: You, this is your interest …

Just say it, Malcolm. You can do it, just say his name. Destiny’s Child, November 7, 1999:

Say my name, say my name / You actin’ kinda shady / Ain’t callin’ me baby / Why the sudden change?