Leaders lock horns for Super Saturday as Abbott, Albo loom

Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten are ramping up the campaign ahead of the crucial Super Saturday by-elections.

Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP

Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten are ramping up the campaign ahead of the crucial Super Saturday by-elections with both leaders using the parliamentary recess to visit key electorates that go to the polls on July 28.

The moves came as Tony ­Abbott, who is leading a backbench revolt against the government’s signature energy policy, signalled his willingness to return to the Liberal leadership, describing himself as a “young 60” who was prepared to stay in politics for “quite some time”.

The former prime minister ­entertained the prospect of a ­return to the top job after yesterday’s Newspoll showed the Turnbull government clawing back support, closing the gap on Labor to within two points to trail by 51-49 on a two-party-preferred basis.

The Opposition Leader will visit the Queensland seat of Longman today to make a health ­announcement before heading to Braddon in Tasmanian — two of the five seats that will be decided on July 28 and which Mr Shorten must win in order to secure his leadership.

The Prime Minister will this week visit Longman and the South Australian seat of Mayo, where polls have consistently shown Liberal candidate Georgina Downer lagging Centre Alliance candidate Rebekha Sharkie.

Speaking on the NSW central coast yesterday, Mr Shorten ­argued Labor was the underdog in the by-elections and it would be an “uphill battle” to hold Braddon. “Anyone who says that an election is in the bag, I think we just need to remember that the voters still have to make the decision,” he said.

Mr Turnbull revived his use of the term “unbeliava-Bill” to describe the Opposition Leader after Mr Shorten’s decision to ­repeal tax cuts for businesses with a turnover over of between $10 million and $50m was overruled by shadow cabinet on Friday.

“I have to say that Bill Shorten’s performance last week … demonstrates that the description of him as unbelieva-Bill is very well-­deserved,” Mr Turnbull said.

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese, who was in Mackay yesterday with the Labor candidate for Dawson, dialled-up the pressure on Mr Shorten by saying Labor would win the Longman and Braddon by-elections. “Labor’s got a good story to tell and we’ll continue to tell it each and every day,” he told 2CC radio in Canberra.

Mr Abbott used an interview on 2GB radio in Sydney yesterday to signal he was open to being drafted back into the Liberal leadership.

“As long as the party and the people of Warringah want me, I can see myself staying for quite some time because I’m just 60. I think I’m a young 60,” Mr Abbott said.

“Sure, I guess it’s unusual for a former prime minister to come back. You could really only come back if you were drafted.”