The political assault on Tony Abbott from his Queensland colleagues continues with Brisbane Liberal member Teresa Gambaro writing an opinion piece this morning that offers frank advice to her leader.

It is not enough for leaders to listen: they must also hear. A leader must create a team and champion the good performances of team members, not be fearful of them. And finally, a leader should not lie – to their colleagues or the Australian people.

The truth is often difficult, but any political figure who looks the public in the eye and betrays their trust is not worthy of office.

I want to be part of a government that can look the Australian people in the eye and honestly say – we have listened to you, we have heard you and we will work with you in the best interests of our nation.

We must be part of an ongoing conversation with the Australian people that is longer than 140 characters and does not peddle mindless political ideology.

Liberal MP, Craig Kelly, has come to Abbott’s rescue. Kelly holds the marginal Sydney seat of Hughes but he is not for turning. Tony could give a “knighthood” to Camilla for all he cares. (Now that would be news.) He would still #stickwithtony.

He has taken to Facebook to declare: I’M STICKING WITH TONY.

He’s scrapped the Carbon Tax

He’s stopped the boats – and the deaths at sea.

He’s gotten rid of the Mining Tax – so Australia is once more seen as a safe place to invest.

He has over $1 trillion worth of new projects approved, projects that had been held up by Labor.

He has new road projects now underway to overcome commuter gridlock in our cities.

After 50 years of buck passing, he’s made a decision on a new Western Sydney Airport.

He’s delivered a trifecta of free trade agreements covering more than 50 per cent of our exports – with China, Japan and South Korea.

He has the live cattle trade – closed down in panic over a TV programme – booming again.

At last, he has the NBN is rolling out, reliably and affordably.

He has Jobs growth running at 4,000 new jobs a week – triple that of 2013

He has new housing approvals at record levels – creating a boom for tradies.

He has the registration of new companies at the highest on record.

He has Economic growth now running at 2.7 per cent, up from 1.9 per cent a year ago.

He’s cracking down on the likes of Hizb-ut-Tahrir and others who nurture Islamic extremism in our suburbs.

For small business, he’s cutting company tax by 1.5% on the 1st July to encourage further employment growth.

And right now; Petrol prices are nearing 15 year lows, home loan interest rates are the lowest on record, and the September quarter had the biggest fall in power prices on record.

Therefore, even if he’d given a knighthood to Camilla – I’m sticking with Tony !!

Trade minister Andrew Robb has been on the ABC acknowledging that the government’s solid achievements have been overshadowed by a few policies – higher education deregulation and Medicare copayment – which in Robb’s eyes, were surprises.

Solid achievements were overshadowed by policies that were a surprise to people.

The word “surprise” is particularly devastating. Remember that Tony Abbott promised to be a “government of no surprises”.

Daniel Hurst has wrapped up the morning’s leadership coverage in a concise wrap for your edification which you may find here.

Cabinet ministers have rallied around Tony Abbott despite backbenchers’ determination to force a leadership showdown and amid reports that Julie Bishop was “offended” at having to prove her loyalty.

Senior ministers Joe Hockey, Mathias Cormann and Christopher Pyne came to the prime minister’s aid on Wednesday, saying Abbott had the cabinet’s unanimous support and the overwhelming backing of the 102-strong Liberal party room.

But efforts to shore up the prime minister’s standing took a blow on Wednesday when the former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett suggested the party’s leadership was terminal and the public’s “universal and unanimous” view was that the government was getting nowhere.

Back to Joe.

Some enterprising reporter tracked down party elder John Howard who was on his regular morning walk in Sydney somewhere. Breaking news: Howard fully supports Abbott’s leadership.

But it was Joe Hockey who took our minds back to the heady first years of the Howard administration, when seven ministers fell on their swords as the Coalition adjusted to government. And had a few issues. With travel. And Howard’s own ministerial code of conduct.

I remember in 1997 John Howard had sacked seven ministers – seven ministers – before his 18 months in office. He had a number of backbenchers going to the crossbenchers, we won the subsequent election. I’d say to you, we’re not even at that point of time in the Howard government. We hadn’t even got to the 18-month point but obviously there are going to be pressures when you make difficult decisions.

So the Abbott government is way ahead, says Hockey.

Which brings me the tweet of George Megalogenis who helpfully reminded us of another comparison from Liberal history.

Now Ray Hadley is moving the debt, allowing Abbott to find his feet on “Labor’s debt and deficit”.

The prime minister is asking Labor, the Greens and the crossbenchers to be constructive when negotiating legislation. (Which would require them to erase the opposition leaders’ behaviour in the last term.)

“We’re more than capable,” says Abbott.

He thinks there are grounds for growing confidence in the weeks ahead.

Hadley says he knows Abbott is “a fighter” and knows he will “dig in”. He suggests Abbott ring Jensen and Entsch. Abbott resists commenting.

Tony Abbott says he can’t rule out never doing another “captain’s call” and claims to have listened to his colleagues and reversed those decision.

Except one, says Hadley. He can’t remove the gong from Phil.

Abbott says he is the same man in government as he was in opposition. This goes to the point Liberal MP Dennis Jensen made yesterday that he was a wartime leader for opposition but not a peacetime leader for government.