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Articles on Liberal leadership crisis

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With just eight MPs to back her campaign for government, Queensland ALP leader Annastacia Palaszczuk relied heavily on local community organising and decision-making. AAP/Dan Peled

‘New politics’ announces itself in Queensland and beyond

The “new politics” of 21st-century Australia is much clearer after the extraordinary result in the Queensland election on January 31. Australia’s new politics consists of three elements that they will…
Julie Bishop has sent a pretty clear public message about what should be done about Tony Abbott’s controversial chief of staff Peta Credlin. AAP/Mick Tsikas

After Monday’s leadership binge came Tuesday’s hangover

At Tuesday’s Coalition parties meeting, Julie Bishop declared, apparently rather theatrically: “That’s it! Leadership spills are so yesterday!” “People move on so quickly,” the Liberal deputy said. Well…
Unlike in Queensland, NSW Premier Mike Baird will not be able to keep Tony Abbott away from the campaign trail. AAP/Dan Himbrechts

Making Abbott invisible in NSW campaign will prove difficult

The major political parties are only days away from launching their campaigns for this year’s New South Wales state election, to be held on March 28. As state political issues that don’t involve the Independent…
The cost of leaving Tony Abbott in the prime ministership is to consign the government to limbo while the Liberals wait to judge his performance. AAP/Mick Tsikas

Abbott’s attempt to regroup means new policy uncertainty

Tony Abbott is precariously perched on icy slopes – deeply unpopular both in the community and with his backbench. More slips and/or continued disastrous polling would plunge him to political death, while…
Recent surveys have highlighted a deeper malaise in the public’s faith in its core institutions and leaders. AAP/Lukas Coch

What can governments and leaders do when trust evaporates?

The 2015 Edelman Trust Barometer points to an “evaporation of trust” in institutions and leaders worldwide. The annual survey finds a decline in trust overall, with more countries classified as distrusting…
Could a Turnbull-Abbott partnership be the circuit breaker the government needs? Lukas Coch/AAP

Is it time for Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull?

In the wake of Monday’s attempted Liberal leadership spill, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott clearly needs to do something to shore up support. He’s been offered all manner of unsolicited advice…
Since Kevin Rudd welcomed Tony Abbott to The Lodge 17 months ago, startling parallels between the prime ministerial struggles of the two populist leaders have emerged. AAP/Alan Porritt

Problem with cut-through politics is leaders can swiftly be cut down

The unsuccessful Liberal leadership spill on Monday arose from two disjunctures: between the electorate and the political class, and the leadership and backbench. This former disjuncture has occurred since…
Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrived with a large group of MPs, including deputy leader Julie Bishop. AAP/Mick Tsikas

Abbott left deeply wounded by narrow victory

Tony Abbott has held at bay a move to depose him. The Liberal party room voted against a spill motion by 61 to 39 – but the narrow margin leaves the prime minister deeply vulnerable to later destabilisation…
When Queensland MP Tim Nicholls said the Newman government didn’t ‘communicate’ well enough, he cast the audience as passive, without views or values of their own. AAP/John Pryke

Talking loud, saying nothing: the old political pitch no longer works

Amid uncertainty over Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s future even if he survives a leadership spill on Monday, the fallout from the shock Queensland election result and political chaos in the Northern Territory…
Selling reform to voters has proven challenging for the Prime Minister, but there are alternative options. Nikki Short/AAP

Governments paying price for ‘do it now or die’ approach to reform

The move to challenge the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, coming soon after the shock Queensland election outcome, has in some quarters been blamed on a lack of appetite for reform on the part…
Prime Minister Tony Abbott needs not just to see off the spill motion. A significant dissident vote would leave him a dead leader walking. AAP/Quentin Jones

Newspoll delivers public’s indictment of Abbott as he faces Liberals’ verdict

Liberal MPs who must decide whether to spill the leadership are confronted by a Newspoll that’s truly shocking for embattled Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Labor has a massive 57-43% lead in two-party terms…
There’ll be a lot of strategic thinking going into the vote during the Liberal leadership spill. AAP

Game (theory) of thrones in the Liberal leadership spill

How might Liberal MPs vote in the upcoming leadership spill? The answer to that question is vastly more complicated than it might seem. Ostensibly, they will be voting for the best political leader amongst…
Why is it that, in recent years, federal party MPs have reached the conclusion that the only way to deal with an unpopular leader is by deposing them? AAP/Nikki Short

Liberal leadership tensions give neglected backbenchers a voice

It is difficult to pinpoint a specific reason to explain the leadership crisis presently gripping the federal Liberal Party. Why is it that Prime Minister Tony Abbott is facing a leadership spill only…
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at an event on Sunday. AAP/Nikki Short

Turnbull shapes up as backlash hits Abbott over bringing forward meeting

Malcolm Turnbull has effectively flagged he would be a candidate if the leadership became vacant in a successful spill on Monday. Although remaining coy about his intentions, Turnbull told reporters: “If…

Analysing Past Midterm PM Changes

There is increasing speculation that Tony Abbott could be ousted by the Liberal Party in favour of Malcolm Turnbull when Parliament resumes tomorrow. A ReachTEL poll conducted on Thursday night, from a…
If Prime Minister Tony Abbott fends off the spill motion the size of the margin is important. AAP/Nikki Short

Liberals do a fine imitation of Labor chaos

Liberal MPs will confront a stark choice next week between propping up a deeply wounded prime minister or trying a fresh start. They know each course is fraught with big risks. With the crucial vote not…
If Tony Abbott loses his job as Liberal leader, the two major parties will have changed their leaders seven times since the 2007 election. AAP/Nikki Short

Leadership crises turn short-term thinking into long-term failure

As the public awaits the result of a motion to spill the Liberal Party leadership, MPs, political observers and the public alike should seriously consider what the never-ending spill culture means for…

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