Malcolm Turnbull has sensationally admitted he ‘regrets’ calling for then-prime minister Tony Abbott to be overthrown after losing 30 consecutive Newspolls.
The Liberal leader himself has now lost 24 in a row as his party continues to lose grip on the Australian public, including the once-safe seat of Bennelong which appears to be edging in Labor and Kristina Keneally’s favour.
‘I do regret having said it, only because it allowed people to focus on that rather than the substantive reasons,’ Mr Turnbull told the Daily Telegraph.
‘The substantive reasons I stated were related to economic leadership and governance.’
Malcolm Turnbull has sensationally admitted he ‘regrets’ calling for then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott to be overthrown after losing 30 consecutive Newspolls
‘I do regret having said it, only because it allowed people to focus on that rather than the substantive reasons,’ Mr Turnbull said of Abbott’s departure from the top job
The Liberal leader himself has now lost 24 in a row as his party continue to lose grip on the Australian public, including the once-safe seat of Bennelong, which appears to be edging in Labor and Kristina Keneally’s favour
A citizenship saga, constant party in-fighting and an infamous run-in with US President Donald Trump are just a few of the embarrassing public moments for Mr Turnbull, but he believes he has justified his dethroning of Mr Abbott.
‘When I became prime minister, I said we’d deliver confidence and investment and growth and all those things,’ he told Financial Review.
‘Business confidence is high, investment has picked up very strongly, jobs growth is strong, unemployment is at its lowest in nearly four years. We’re not complacent but we have certainly fulfilled those promises.’
However, the voters clearly disagree, as Mr Turnbull’s party continue to trail in the two-party preferred. The most recent Newspoll had Bill Shorten’s Labor ahead 53-47.
‘Business confidence is high, investment has picked up very strongly, jobs growth is strong, unemployment is at its lowest in nearly four years. We’re not complacent but we have certainly fulfilled those promises’
A report by The Australian revealed Keneally had drawn level with a 50-50 two-party preferred, just a week out from the by-election
The crucial Sydney seat of Bennelong, once monopolised by former prime minister John Howard and more recently John Alexander, is slipping from the clutches of the Liberals.
A report by The Australian revealed Ms Keneally had drawn level with a 50-50 two-party preferred, just a week out from the by-election.
The study found incumbent Alexander’s popularity had dropped an astonishing 11 per cent, and despite Liberals being able to call on fringe parties to help them secure the seat, it is another public blow to the party.
‘Labor has thrown an enormous amount into it. They are doing everything they can to take him on. The point we make again and again, don’t let Kristina Keneally do to Bennelong what she did to NSW as premier,’ Mr Turnbull said.
Among his plans for 2018, which revolve mostly around economic reform, Mr Turnbull is promising cuts for the middle-class and a focus on national security
Among his plans for 2018, which revolve mostly around economic reform, Mr Turnbull is promising cuts for the middle-class and a focus on national security.
The new Home Affairs Department will be launched in January, as will an announcement on his National Energy Guarantee.
‘But I want everyone to understand that we’re focused on helping middle income Australians,’ Mr Turnbull said.
Despite calls from Labor and the public to step down after nearing closer to Mr Abbott’s Newspoll slump, the prime minister says he isn’t going anywhere just yet.
‘I will stay as long as the people want me to stay and the people obviously include the most important people which is Lucy. We are both committed to public service.’