Is Tony Abbott finished?

Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, May 5th, 2019 - 9 comments
Categories: australian politics, climate change, Environment, global warming, science, sustainability - Tags:

Former Australian Prime Minister, climate change denier and budgie smuggler Tony Abbott is facing the end of his political career.  And the challenge is coming from someone who understands what an existential threat climate change poses to us.

From Nicole Hasham at the Sydney Morning Herald:

New polling commissioned by GetUp suggests former prime minister Tony Abbott is on track for a defeat by independent candidate Zali Steggall in his blue ribbon Sydney seat of Warringah.

A Lonergan poll of 805 Warringah voters shows Mr Abbott trailing Ms Steggall 56-44 on a two party-preferred basis. GetUp is campaigning against Mr Abbott in Warringah.

The poll also showed climate change and the environment is a top-order issue for Warringah voters.

Ms Steggall, an Olympic skier-turned-barrister, has put combating climate change at the centre of her campaign and says the Morrison government has failed to act on emissions reduction or encouraging the renewable energy transition.

Mr Abbott has held Warringah for almost 25 years. Under his leadership, the Coalition government scrapped Labor’s price on carbon and as a backbencher he has strongly fought against emissions reduction measures.

And it appears that the precarious state of our environment is now a more important issue for voters than the economy.  As it should be.  Again from the SMH:

Some 35 per cent of respondents said climate change and the environment would help determine their vote – ahead of economic management at 27 per cent.

Of those who planned to vote for Ms Steggall, 89 per cent oppose the proposed Adani coal mine.

GetUp’s campaign director Miriam Lyons said voters clearly wanted their federal MPs to protect the climate for future generations.

“People in Warringah are demanding action on climate change like never before,” she said.

“It’s clear our climate can’t afford another 25 years of Tony Abbott, this election Warringah will be voting for climate leadership.

As an indication of what a dinosaur he is Abbott was recently approached by a group of young people who are concerned about climate change.  He said to them that “the Earth has survived many things” and he didn’t believe the “environmental catastrophe” predicted by scientists would occur.

Abbott’s seat of Warringah is based on the inner city suburb of Mossman and includes Manly on the east coast.  It has always been held by the right.

The election is on May 18.  Fingers crossed …

9 comments on “Is Tony Abbott finished? ”

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  1. adam 1
    5 May 2019 at 4:26 pm

    Fingers crossed that independants hold the balance of power. As the ALP has been a bit like the NZLP, all the kindness in the world, with bugger all substance.

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/14/a-speech-is-not-a-policy-environment-groups-call-on-alp-to-announce-policy-details

  2. Michael who failed Civics 2
    5 May 2019 at 5:26 pm

    And Voldemort Dutton too I hope. However people should not expect any change to the status quo from Labor.

  3. RedLogix 3
    5 May 2019 at 5:27 pm

    It's not my habit to slag pollies for the sake of it, but Abbott has been a carbunkle on public life all his career. A great day if he goes.

    As for Shorten; I heard him speak live in Ballarat a few years back and quite liked him, but he's the southern hemisphere analog of Corbyn … a lot of promise and but is somehow the captive of history, rather than a pointer to the future.

  4. coge 4
    5 May 2019 at 6:25 pm

    Not according to the TAB,

    • Tony Abbott (Coalition)

      1.42

    • Zali Steggall (Independent)

      2.60

  5. Dukeofurl 5
    5 May 2019 at 6:25 pm

    Tony Abbot will handily win the most votes but due to preferential voting , only if Steggall comes second ahead of labour will their preferences and those of the Greens flow to Steggall.

    A good comparison would be Wentworth, a similar seat on the other side of Sydney harbour, with the first preference vote shown

    Sharma Lib 43%

    Phelps Ind 29%

    Muarray lab 11%

    Kanak Green 9%

    After preferences were distribuited the numbers were Phelps 51% , Sharma 49%.

    Of course Warringah didnt have its existing member resign and Abbott may still have an edge, especially for a general election.

  6. SHG 6
    5 May 2019 at 8:07 pm

    budgie smuggler Tony Abbott

    Look, the guy’s an anachronistic tool who deserves to be voted out ASAP. But being a volunteer surf lifesaver is not something for which he deserves criticism. It’s like teasing a volunteer fireman for wearing a funny helmet.

  7. Pat 7
    5 May 2019 at 8:08 pm

    If a poll (with a MoE of 4%) tells us anything then perhaps our own politicians should take note.

    “It’s clear our climate can’t afford another 25 years of Tony Abbott, this election Warringah will be voting for climate leadership.”

    Id suggest it cannot take another year let alone 25

  8. ScottGN 8
    5 May 2019 at 8:18 pm

    I’d love Steggall to beat the crap out of Abbott on Election Day but I’m a bit leery of this sort of partisan polling.
    Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have a poll out tonight though that has Labor maintaining an election winning edge over the Coalition and shows voters trending towards Shorten as PM over Morrison so I’ll take that I reckon.

  9. tc 9
    6 May 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Abbot's toxic however like rust he will never sleep and remains the right wing Christian pin up boy.

    Bit like the ABC brigade within our labour, they're sizable, wield influence and don't give a F if they damage the wider party, lose seats, piss off the punters.

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