MPs yesterday continued to leak against the Prime Minister despite a staunch defence of his leadership to the National Press Club in Canberra on Monday.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull are believed to be the front runners in the leadership race.
“Cabinet ministers have been ringing me and telling me things are just untenable,” one MP told News Corp.
“Julie Bishop and Tony Abbott now have a Gillard-Rudd like relationship. It can’t go on like this,” another said.
But Mr Abbott remains firm, telling ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales, “we’ve done a lot. If you look at the last 16 months, the carbon tax is gone, the boats have stopped, the roads are building … a lot’s been done, but we’re not resting on our laurels.
“We were elected because people were sick of chaos and what I’m determined to do is give Australia back the certainty and stability people crave.
“We’re not here to talk about the past, I’m here to talk about the future.”
The first MP to break ranks, Liberal backbencher Dennis Jensen, told the Prime Minister he wanted him removed from the nation’s top job on January 23 via text message.
Dr Jensen was the first MP to display such brazen dismay in Mr Abbott’s leadership.
Dr Jensen texted Mr Abbott and the pair had a “lengthy” exchange about why he should be removed.
Speaking out … Liberal backbencher Dr Dennis Jensen has publicly broken ranks to say he no longer supports Tony Abbott as Prime Minister. Source: News Corp Australia
Mr Abbott asked Dr Jensen: “Well who would be better to lead the party?”, to which he replied it was not about the “who” but the “what”.
Dr Jensen told News Corp Australia: “I told him that he no longer has my support.”
The disgruntled MP also said Mr Abbott didn’t have the right vision for the nation, particularly on politics.
“We can’t continue with Mr Abbott as leader,” he said.
Dr Jensen is from the WA electorate of Tangney. He was involved in calling the first of the Liberal spills in 2009 with Wilson Tuckey that ultimately saw Mr Abbott installed as the party’s leader.
Speaking on 7.30 tonight, Dr Jensen said he informed Mr Abbott on January 23 — three days before the disastrous Australia Day knighting of Prince Phillip — that he no longer supported the Prime Minister.
Deposed … Dr Jensen was instrumental in the 2009 Liberal Party leadership spill, which saw Malcolm Turnbull replaced with Tony Abbott. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Corp Australia
“I always believe in being upfront and honest,” he said.
Dr Jensen said that while Mr Abbott was an “absolutely fantastic” Opposition leader, he was still “operating on that wartime footing.”
“He was a great wartime leader, [but] now we need a great peacetime leader.”
Despite being instrumental in installing Mr Abbott as Opposition leader in 2009- and now being the first backbencher to publicly speak out against him — Dr Jensen said he did not want to be seen as “just a hitman”.
“I don’t want to be seen as the person who in effect is just pulling the trigger … I think I’m certainly expediting the discussion that we need to have.”
When asked if Mr Abbott could still save himself, Mr Jensen replied: “I don’t believe so”.
“I don’t think fundamentally he understands what the problem is, and therein lies the problem,” he said.
Not just a hitman … Federal Liberal MP Dennis Jensen said he wants to be known for more than just “pulling the trigger” in leadership spills. Picture: News Limited Source: News Limited
But Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton quickly came to the Prime Minister’s defence, saying Mr Abbott needed to be given an “opportunity to exercise what he said”.
“He’s made mistakes, we’ve all made mistakes, and we’re listening to colleagues, and, most importantly, to Australians,” Mr Dutton said in an interview following Dr Jensen’s, also on ABC’s 7.30.
“He’s made it very clear he’s not going to stand down … I want the prime minister elected only 16 months ago to have a fair go.”
Mr Dutton said the Cabinet was unanimously in support of Mr Abbott, and that without a challenger, there was no point.
“He’s made it very clear he’s not going to stand down — why would he, if he’s 16 months into his first term?”
“When there is no challenger, to me that [a leadership spill] makes no sense,” he said.
According to ABC reports, Warren Entsch will be looking to get the leadership issue resolved at their partyroom meeting next Tuesday, and he’s a strong supporter of Mal Brough.
Resolution … Federal MP Warren Entsch, a supporter of Mal Brough, reportedly said he wants to resolve the leadership issue at the next partyroom meeting. Picture: Wesley Monts Source: Supplied
The news comes after cabinet ministers have privately been lamenting that the relationship between Tony Abbott and his deputy Julie Bishop is now “untenable” as leadership speculation continues in Canberra.
But Ms Bishop has remained firm that she would not challenge the Prime Minister, telling Sky News that she was not counting her numbers.
“I’m not ringing the backbench for support, I’m not counting numbers,” she said.
“I will not challenge the leader.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister responded to Bishop speculation, describing the leadership team as “friends” and “colleagues” who “support each other”.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison also publicly denied mounting a challenge against the Prime Minister, despite being touted as a possible leadership candidate.
Speaking on 7.30 yesterday, Mr Morrison said Tony Abbott could count on his support.
“The prime minister has my support and I’ve outlined that in any number of ways,” Mr Morrison said.
Not challenging … Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, has ruled out challenging Mr Abbott for the prime ministership. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, disgruntled Queensland MP Mal Brough has not ruled out potentially bringing forward a motion of no confidence in Tony Abbott in the party room if he is still Prime Minister when Parliament resumes next week.
Loyal MP … Scott Morrison has also pledged his commitment to the Prime Minister. Source: News Corp Australia
Mr Brough told Sky News he had no intention to challenge Mr Abbott for the leadership, but had concerns about issues affecting the government, including the GP co-payment and the cuts to the wages of the defence force.
He said he would be having more discussions with Mr Abbott about these issues, but did not say a leadership spill was the way the party should go.
One of the possible options being discussed by MPs unhappy with Mr Abbott’s leadership is that Mr Brough will act as a suicide bomber to bring the leadership issue to a head.
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