Prime Minister Abbott “Disgusted” with Rudd’s Popularity Tactics
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is apparently “livid” that Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd continues to gain momentum in the polls despite deposing former Labor Leader Julia Gillard three weeks ago.
Mr Abbott, speaking to reporters earlier today, said that Mr Rudd’s ambitions to become Prime Minister were all about his “massive ego” and nothing to do with serving the Australian people.
“Week after week after week, all we see is Mr Rudd running around the country staging mock photo opportunities in hard hats and work gear, as if this is somehow a credible alternative for having some clear policies” said Mr Abbott.
“Mr Rudd might have a policy, but we have a pamphlet, backed up with peer-researched three-word slogans.”
Labor’s fortunes in opinion polls has continued with a new major newspaper survey suggesting the Rudd government and the Coalition have moved to level pegging on a two party preferred basis.
The Nielsen poll published in Fairfax newspapers this morning has the two party preferred measure at 50-50, and it also records a ten point bounce in Labor’s primary vote.
Labor’s primary vote is now on 39%, up from the 29% recorded just before Rudd and his caucus supporters moved against the former leader Julia Gillard during the final parliamentary sitting fortnight.
Rudd is also significantly ahead on Nielsen’s preferred prime minister measure. Rudd is on 55% – a 14 point improvement compared to the last result recorded for Gillard on 17 June. Opposition leader Tony Abbott is on 41%, a nine point drop since the last survey.
The positive Nielsen result is consistent with another major opinion poll taken over this past week.
Prime Minister Abbott said that he expected the Opposition Leader to receive a bounce in the polls but denied that this rally would continue until the election.
“At the end of the day people will vote for who they believe will do the best job of running the country, and the Coalition has a proud track record in this respect” he said.
“It’s not a popularity contest”
Err, actually it is.
theguttertrash.com 
The Coalition have announced their election campaign theme song…
Reb surely you made up the stuff about hard hats.
Prime Minister Abbott said that he expected the Opposition Leader to receive a bounce in the polls but denied that this rally would continue until the election.
LOL!
(It’s a good job some of us get your awful humour, sreb, but we doooo like you, honky tonks!)
Thought I’d start the week of on a jovial note … 😛
“It’s a good job some of us get your awful humour”
I know.
It is awful…
But the way Abbott and Co are carrying on, it’s like he’s already holding office and has “a challenger”
I think some journo summed it up well last week, and said it was like Abbott was buying a house at an auction, and then suddenly there’s a last minute bidder..
Heck it might even have been Coalition stooge Toolman…
Abbott criticises Rudd for photo opportunites – Jesus wept! talk about the pot calling the kettle black! The Libs ‘Our Plan’ as bereft on policy detail as Rudd’s NPC address last Wedneday. Sadly you’re right Reb, it is a popularity contest and little more than that.
Sadly you’re right Reb, it is a popularity contest and little more than that.
Still, there is a little more “substance” behind Smiler Rudd’s team than Tickler Tony’s …
(BTW, ee, sreb’s, “piece” is more satire than fact … that’s not uncommon ;-)… just sayin’ … )
Nice to see Fraudbull make the comment that more people want his as LOTO than they do Phoney. But he has no intention of challenging! How’s that for a nice little knife thrust! ‘Et tu Fraudbullus?’
Yep, d, a √ A Tick For Turnbull! would really set the hustings ablaze!
Fat chance TB, this is not a popularity contest.
There is something wrong with human beings when a leader just has to have some nice hair and smile and people want to vote for him.
“But he has no intention of challenging! How’s that for a nice little knife thrust! ‘Et tu Fraudbullus?’
Turnbull’s just (not so) quietly putting the message out there deknarf…
If Abbott’s numbers don’t improve Turnbull will go for the kevengular!
Abbott needs to-
• Go a shade lighter on the hair dye
• A shade darker on the tanning lotion
Abbott needs to-
• Go a shade lighter on the hair dye
• A shade darker on the tanning lotion
What, like this….
‘If Abbott’s numbers don’t improve Turnbull will go for the kevengular!’
Abbott can see this and, in fear of losing his political life, may decide to speak his mind. Mind you, its possibly just a vacuous space, but nevertheless let’s hear it from the monk.
Of course if he stays the distance and loses the un-loseable election… he’s dead meat.
I still cant believe how bad the LNP advert is. Its too friggin’ “noisy”
It should have been something simple like a photo of an asylum seeker boat with a background sound of waves and a simple captioned message reading…………
“Since Rudd threw open our borders in 2007 for every successful boat there are also many needless deaths from drownings amongst those not successful.”
“Since Rudd threw open our borders in 2007 for every successful boat it costs you the Taxpayer $12 Million” *
“Since 2007 Rudd’s open borders have cost you the Taxpayer $9 Billion”*
Gotta keep it simple
* Insert an appropriate figure to scare the shit out of targeted voter
The only reason lefties want Turnbull as leader of the Opposition is because they know it will split the party. Their motives are totally transparent.
If Abbott’s numbers don’t improve Turnbull will go for the kevengular!
It would be unheard of for the coalition not to allow their leader to front an election, even john howard was allowed to lead them over the cliff, loyal to their messiah to the end they are. But, these are strange times and abbott himself has thrown the rulebook out the window these last three years. I feel sure malcolm will challenge, perhaps after the election when abbott policy causes much infighting. Has turnbull the numbers over the nutters yet?
Abbott only has himself to blame with his “gimme the job or I’ll trash the place” exercise in parliamentary vandalism and anarchy. He wasn’t well liked before, even by liberal voters, he may very well have cruelled it for the libs now that there is someone with a veneer of decency about him on offer. If he leads to defeat, it will be all on his own shoulders.
It should have been something simple like a photo of an asylum seeker boat with a background sound of waves and a simple captioned message reading…………
Perhaps you would have preferred it even simpler, a photo of an asylum seeker strung up by a noose around his neck? No captioned message necessary.
‘Their motives are totally transparent.’
The left like Talcum because he’s Labor Lite and they have little idea of the internal implications for the Coalition.
There does seem to be a lot of govt advertising at the moment. Perhaps Labor thinks it will help them win an election. But I am sure Labor promised not to do govt advertising.
What is wrong with Labor Lite? That is what Rudd is and it doesn’t seem so bad. The worst that can be said of him is that he is a populist, but at least that requires some capacity to listen to the populace.
The Rudd phenomenon is awesome. I didn’t pick it and I’m still trying to work it out. Maybe he is our Bill Clinton – all bullshit and teflon, but he may well get away with it.
Also, it was Keating who got really blatant with government advertising. Howard promised not to do it and increased it exponentially. The ALP said they would stop it, but they can’t help themselves either.
Rudd did promise to resign if his govt did political advertising.
I think Rudd is popular because he offers people a vision or something to believe in or follow. The Coalition does not do vision very well.
The fact that he is an empty vessel does not matter.
Their motives are totally transparent.
Well obviously not, Kneel, to you anyway … I think Turnbull would make a much better PM that Abbott and maybe Rudd …
… and you need to do some more research on But I am sure Labor promised not to do govt advertising. … DO NOT ask your Young Liberal supervisor he/she seems to get so much wrong these days! (Or just your comprehension of things)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ah, sb, wondered where you were, nice to see you back … I always thought Bill Clinton was very effective as a President … not real good as a husband … but a good President …
‘nice to see you back …’
Me too, for a minute I thought someone had offended you.
—————–
Bill Clinton has made a humungous amount of money since he retired and he only has to talk.
Neil only a complete imbecile would want either of the two major parties to split. I certainly don’t otherwise I would move to one of the world’s one party he’ll holes. That said you should take yourself off to Politically Homeless where Andrew Elder has written a terrific piece about the timing of a Turnbull challenge and the divisions within the Lib party. The ALP is a serene pond by comparison.
Hell holes
I don’t take offense (except as a debating tactic). Busy at work; whacked my head on the rear door of the station wagon – kept me quiet for a few days. Wouldn’t give this blog away for anything – it’s too much fun.
And now politics is getting really interesting. If Rudd’s arrogance doesn’t get the better of him, he may well win. Abbott won’t win unless he can find a way to connect with the Australian people. He never looked all that good, but Labor really did lose it’s way for a while.
Clinton got his second term by running to the centre. Rudd may well be doing the same.
‘Abbott won’t win unless he can find a way to connect with the Australian people.’
He could steal Kev’s thunder in an open and honest debate on the weather, with the intention of making Rudd look like an ignorant clown.
He can’t though Egg because he has had a myriad of contradictory positions on the subject.
SB you must have seen stars! Nasty. Best wishes.
Egg, Abbott is not going to win even that debate against Rudd. The worm will not like him. He is a less capable speaker than Bush was. He doesn’t seem to be able to think well on his feet, or at all for that matter.
Abbott might be on the right track with this comment, but even then he doesn’t sound convincing.
Tks Dianne.
… whacked my head on the rear door of the station wagon
Ouch!
Still must have had some impact (hehe) on you … you sound quite rational (well almost …)
Hope for Kneel yet … once he’s old enough to get his licence it might happen to him … 🙄
Abbott is rigid and a poor second to Turnbull in the popularity polls, still he might get up if he has something important to say.
egg, those inimitable words spring to mind … in yer dreams!
“still he might get up if he has something important to say.”
But it shows you how bad humans are. They will follow the charismatic leader rather than the person with the better policies.
“if he has something important to say.”
He doesn’t exactly have a resounding track record in that respect.
Now “humans” are bad not just those lying ALP supporters … 🙄
Neil, is thoroughly exasperated that a goodly proportion of the voting population doesn’t suffer the same sort of terminal myopia which he exhibits.
It’s terminal? 😈
Just love a popularity. Contest, its all so Bob Robert. Like doing a gig, the audience is putty in the right hands. Fiberal Funerals Fires a burning..