Stephen Ciobo's demotion reflects poorly on Tony Abbott

TONY Abbott's decision to dump Stephen Ciobo from his frontbench has given us a small glimpse into what he might be like if he became prime minister.

TONY Abbott's decision to dump Stephen Ciobo from his frontbench has given us a small glimpse into what he might be like if he became prime minister.

Abbott's colleagues and the country should be worried: it's no way to run an opposition much less a country.

I can honestly say that Ciobo has never backgrounded to me against one of his colleagues. He is not a source of mine, so let's get that out there straight away for the cynical amongst us.

Ciobo is talented, a good media performer, part of the next generation in the Liberal Party and from Queensland, the state responsible for the expanded partyroom and therefore eligible for greater representation on the frontbench.

That all should add up to a promotion not a dumping.

But because Abbott has never especially gotten along with Ciobo personally, and because he was a Malcolm Turnbull lieutenant, a member of Turnbull's shadow cabinet, Abbott has sacrificed this talented MP simply because he can. First he dropped him to the outer shadow ministry, now out of it altogether.

And Abbott likes to accuse Labor of appointing MPs to the frontbench based on factionalism not merit.

If this is how Abbott is prepared to act when he only has the authority of a defeated opposition leader, albeit one who exceeded all expectations, just imagine what he would be like if elected prime minister.