The history books will characterise Abbott as the most blunder prone PM of Australia. The most noteworthy achievement which changed the course of events was stopping the boats. And hopefully plebiscites will become a way of letting Australians have their say on contentious issues.

It got too much to bear; one read the news apprehensive about what Abbott would come out with next. Most  blunders were magnified by the left group thinker herd of the ABC and Fairfax media. He has made a good point about unsourced innuendo. Underlying a lot of it was a virulent anti-Catholic sentiment, coming from some secular commentators. 

 

One issue stands out as bad governance and bad politics, condemned by all from extreme right through to extreme left. This was his drawn out inaction over the flagrant use of taxpayers money by Bronwyn Bishop in hiring a helicopter in order to create an impressive entrance at a Liberal Party fundraiser. It dragged on for a couple of weeks until finally her position as Speaker became untenable. The populace has a gut reaction about ‘pollies with their snouts in the trough’.

 

Not surprisingly the Coalition was behind in the polls and there was every reason to believe Abbott would continue to stumble, right through to the next election. One suspects that those who switched did so with no enthusiasm for Turnbull, just despair. Turnbull has been, perhaps unkindly, described as a narcissist, but there is no doubt that he is an egotist, born and bred to rule. He dithered over which party would would best serve his ultimate ambition to become PM before settling on the Liberals.

 

Abbott took a very tough line on stopping the boats, ably implemented  by Scott Morrison, his chosen Minister for the task. Turn back was initially derided; will harm relations with Indonesia, won’t work. The Coalition stance not only stopped the boats, but turn back has become ALP policy, so a reversal is improbable, despite the wailing of the bleeding hearts inside the ALP. There has been an emotional outpouring about the picture of  drowned little boy Aylan on a Turkish beach. Thanks to Abbott, such tragedies don’t happen here anymore. Remember the pictures of asylum seekers drowning off Christmas Island.

 

Not a great deal else happened that changed the course of history. To be fair, the Coalition has been hamstrung by a motley collection of backbenchers in the Senate, especially In trying to implement measures to reduce the deficit. The ALP suffered the same problem, although not so many mavericks to corral. Abbott maintained a generally conservative stance but did nothing about his election promise to amend 18C, under which it is illegal to offend people. He was unenthusiastic about environmental concerns.

 

It is sobering to remember that the present group of cross benchers is there until the election after next and may be joined by more after the next election. The Coalition and the ALP have to get together to change the Senate ballot paper. The simplest would be the present format of parties above the line, optional to mark more than one. Instead of allowing their pick to determine the preferences as now, there would be no preference flow unless voters mark a sequence of parties.

 

An Abbott innovation has been introducing a plebiscite to allow voters to have their say on legalising homosexual marriage. Turnbull opposed a plebiscite in the party room, but has endorsed it now, because he knows that over 60% of the electorate are in favour. The odds are that the ALP will go into the election in favour because otherwise they will be beaten over the head by accusations that they are not truly democratic.

 

 

Could the idea of plebiscites catch on? Obvious candidates  for plebiscites are the level of immigration and euthanasia. If the concept of plebiscites is adopted then Abbott will have a second achievement which will be highlighted in history.

Comments; editor@undependentaustralian.com.au