Malcolm Turnbull hits back at Tony Abbott dig over delay

Malcolm Turnbull responds to Tony Abbott’s criticism of his decision to cancel next week’s sitting of the House of Representatives.

Malcolm Turnbull has repsonded to Tony Abbott’s criticisms. Picture: AAP.

Malcolm Turnbull has responded to Tony Abbott’s criticism of his decision to delay next week’s sitting of the House of Representatives, saying the move is simply “good housekeeping”.

The former Prime Minister last night declared that he would not have made the same decision, decrying the current period in parliament as an “era of toxic egos”, and telling his former chief of staff, Sky News host Peta Credlin last night that: “we might not always want to go back to parliament, but you always have to go back to parliament because that’s your job.”

Mr Turnbull said the postponement of parliament was simply motivated by wanting to pass the same-sex marriage bill before Christmas.

“All we are doing is moving the two sitting weeks that were scheduled for next week forward a week to begin on December 4 so the House will be there when the Senate delivers the same-sex marriage bill that will not have been completed before,” the Prime Minister told the Seven Network.

“This is good housekeeping. It is all about honouring and respecting the Australian people.”

Mr Turnbull denied the move was an attempt to shorten the period of time when the government does not have the numbers, with Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and NSW Liberal John Alexander absent while they fight by-elections.

“That is absolutely not true,” he told the Nine Network.

“We won’t have Barnaby Joyce or John Alexander back in the house in the week beginning the 4th.

“Barnaby’s by-election will be held on the 2nd but it takes some time for the poll to be declared, the writs to be returned and so forth.

“So we have taken those two weeks, that were beginning on the 27th and moved them forward to begin on the 4th in order to match the timing of the Senate’s deliberations on the (same-sex marriage) bill. That’s what we have done. It is common sense.”