Time for Abbott to focus on his vision

Leaders' net satisfaction ratings

"TAKING one for the team."

The phrase has various applications, but the one that applies to Tony Abbott, reinforced by yesterday's Newspoll, is his willingness to make a sacrifice for the benefit of his party.

The sacrifice is Abbott's personal ratings. His net satisfaction level has fallen to a new low - down from minus 12 to minus 21 per cent. It is almost in the post-OzCar territory Malcolm Turnbull languished in.

But it's time for Abbott to adjust his approach.

If it weren't for the Coalition level-pegging on the two-party vote and Labor's poor primary support (albeit up six points in the latest poll) Abbott would be confronted with significantly more backbiting.

We shouldn't forget it was not so long ago, before Julia Gillard announced her intention to break an election commitment and legislate for a carbon tax during this term, that the Liberals faced internal disunity.

The Opposition Leader's relentless negativity must be supplemented by a more positive agenda. Abbott must be selfish and start protecting his leadership by doing more to raise his personal ratings. If he doesn't, a growing number of his colleagues may start to question whether he is the best option going into the next election. Opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey is contrasting himself nicely with Abbott. He is making set speeches spelling out a positive agenda - the latest at the Sydney Institute - and he is appearing progressive on issues such as quotas on boards.

It would be a mistake for the Coalition to replace Abbott between now and the next election. But it might be a bigger mistake if he refuses to mark out a clearer alternative that is attractive to the mainstream.

The negativity about Labor must continue, and that is something Abbott does better than most. But it needs to be balanced with more constructive commentary. An alternative PM must have an alternative agenda.

Gillard's improvement in the net satisfaction standings - from minus 12 to minus 7 - stems from her rhetorically standing up to the Greens and pulling towards the Centre. It says a lot that she is fully 14 net satisfaction points ahead of Abbott despite breaking an election promise less than a month ago.

Even if the Newspoll is an outlier, Abbott must take heed.