Turnbull in Abbott’s sights over Bali and by-election

Tony Abbott has criticised Scott Morrison’s decision to send Malcolm Turnbull to an environmental conference in Bali.

Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull out for their morning walk in Point Piper.

Tony Abbott has criticised Scott Morrison’s decision to send Malcolm Turnbull to an environmental conference in Bali, slamming his political foe over his “studied ­silence” during the Wentworth campaign.

Mr Turnbull, who was in New York and Singapore during the Wentworth by-election campaign, has been criticised for failing to deliver on requests for written endorsement or other support for Liberal candidate Dave Sharma.

Mr Abbott said he was “all in favour” of making good use of former prime ministers, but would have sent a minister to the Bali conference were it his decision.

“Only a minister can really speak for the government,” he told 2GB. “It doesn’t matter how distinguished someone might be, it doesn’t matter how exalted a private citizen someone might be, but you can really only speak for the government if you’re a minister.”

Asked whether it was too late for Mr Morrison to change his mind about sending Mr Turnbull, Mr ­Abbott said it was a matter for the Prime Minister, hitting out at Mr Turnbull for his position on climate policy.

“I’m all in favour of reducing emissions, but I’m not in favour of turning the economy upside down in order to achieve that,” he said. “I guess Malcolm Turnbull has ­always been a bit emissions-­focused, if you like, and of course he lost his job twice because of that.”

Asked whether it was fair to say Mr Turnbull “didn’t lift a finger” to help Mr Sharma in Wentworth, Mr Abbott said: “I think that’s a very, very fair point. I was disappointed by the studied silence of the former member.

“Dave Sharma was a terrific candidate, an outstanding Australian who would be an adornment to the parliament.”