View from The Hill: Tony Abbott to tour the country, trying to energise Liberals

Tony Abbott, the Liberals’ new activist federal president, is preparing to convene meetings around the country in an effort to drum up membership and support for the struggling party. After the Newspoll published at the weekend showed the Coalition falling to 18% (down 2 points), with One Nation on 31% and Labor on 30%, Abbott acknowledged the threat of the insurgent party as well as the Liberals’ difficulty with credibility. In a Tuesday email to supporters he wrote: “Like you, I can read the polls.” “While the majority of Australians now would like a change of government, there’s an unprecedented split on what’s the best alternative. "And while many of you have noticed Angus Taylor’s determination to stop the toxic taxes, end mass migration, abolish Net Zero, and put Australia first, some are sceptical about the extent of the party’s change of heart or its willingness to do much about it in government.” Abbott’s foray into a national tour may alarm some in the party who already fear he will overshadow Taylor, even though he has indicated he’s aware of that problem and knows he should tread carefully. Abbott wrote: “While it’s the parliamentary party’s job to set and to implement policy, and to provide strong political leadership, you can be confident that the new federal executive will support Angus and his team to continue to be bold and resolute. "We certainly won’t win the next election as slaves to focus groups and being a little bit less ‘woke’ than Labor. "As well, you can be confident about our collective determination to work constructively with others who also want a change of government.” This last point reinforces Abbott’s advocacy of the Liberals co-operating with One Nation in relation to preferences, a view Taylor shares. Abbott told the Australian Financial Review on Tuesday: “As a general rule, it makes sense for parties of the right to preference each other just as parties of the left have always done”. Meanwhile Taylor told a news conference: “We will work […] with whoever we can to get rid of this rotten Labor government. "I want Australians’ first preferences, but I know to get them I have to rebuild trust with those hard working Australians who are angry, because they have been dudded.” Taylor was facing questions about the Western Australian Liberal leader Basil Zempilas’ comments, who in a Monday speech reflected the pragmatic attitude many Liberals are now taking to One Nation. Zempilas said One Nation “are a rising political movement, and because of that, One Nation deserve respect”. “If their support holds, inevitably it will be people in my position’s job to find a way to work with, or alongside, One Nation. That will be important. "And it’s something that at this stage, almost three years away from our next state election, I have an open mind about,” he said. Abbott wrote that the meetings he planned would be to give members and supporters the chance to learn from each other and “recommit to giving our country the better government a great people deserve”. He urged the letter recipients to bring along family and friends who might be supportive. In his recent speech accepting the presidency Abbott lamented the party’s small membership of about 50,000, saying on a comparison with the Conservative Party in Canada the Liberals should have at least 250,000 members. He conceded in his email that it “might take some time to persuade sceptical voters” that the Liberal party was their best hope. Meanwhile ALP national president Wayne Swan has used the spectre of One Nation to drum up donations. In an email to supporters a week ago, Swan said: “Powerful vested interests are already spending millions to make a Liberal-One Nation Government a reality. That’s why I’m asking for your support today. Every donation helps Labor invest early in the people, technology and campaigning needed to counter the hard right.” The Liberals could not form government without One Nation, Swan wrote. He said Hanson had argued “workers should be easier to sack and questioned whether Australians deserve higher wages”. Labor is also running Facebook ads asking people “to donate to Labor’s campaign because One Nation is polling at record highs”. Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.