Federal election 2016: Tony Abbott says Labor can win

Tony Abbott has conceded Labor can win the election and has warned conservatives not to make a protest vote.

Tony Abbott says: ‘The tragedy of Shorten is that he should be a Bob Hawke figure but he sounds like a Bob Brown figure.’ Picture: Annika Enderborg.

Tony Abbott has not ruled out ­accepting a ministry after the election but said he had not sought a position, nor had one been offered by Malcolm Turnbull.

“That is a matter for the Prime Minister,” Mr Abbott told The Australian. “You have a duty to serve as best you can while you are in the parliament. But I am absolutely focused on being the best possible member for Warringah.”

The former prime minister conceded Labor could win the election and warned disillusioned conservatives, still angry about the leadership coup, to “think again” and not make a protest vote against the Coalition.

“It is absolutely essential that we have the best possible government and that is a Turnbull-led Coalition government,” Mr ­Abbott said.

“If they are thoughtful conservatives, even through gritted teeth, they will put the ­Coalition ahead of the Labor Party. The important thing is to give the country the best possible government, and the best possible government at this time is a Turnbull-led Coalition government.”

Mr Turnbull last week pre­dicted the Coalition “will win” the election. Labor leader Bill Shorten labelled the statement arrogant.

Mr Abbott, however, said Labor could win the election and should not be underestimated. “I think Labor can win but I think the ­Coalition has had the better of the campaign,” he said.

“Shorten started strongly, and has campaigned well, but the whole problem here is Shorten has bad policies. You know the tragedy of Shorten is that he should be a Bob Hawke figure but he sounds like a Bob Brown figure.”

If re-elected, Mr Abbott said he would be an “advocate” for Warringah and an “advocate” for conservative views to ensure the Liberal Party remained a “broad church”.

He said the party must represent “not just classical liberal views and values but the conser­vative tradition as well”.