Lieberal power brokers already decided Abbott is to go?

The Lieberals need leadership speculation like a hole in the head. With Abbott now appearing to be in the final throws of defeat (his blows all self inflicted) surely it must be obvious to them that they've got all they can out of Abbott? They couldn't possibly go to the next election and commit political suicide with him, so they have to change leaders at some point. Better sooner than later.

However in doing so they may well inflict more political damage to themselves. Hypocrisy anyone?

It will be an admission by them that Abbott, who only months ago was their conquering hero, has been an unmitigated disaster. Turnbull will have a huge job on his hands to try and repair at least some of the damage before the next election in 2016. Voters will not quickly forget how close we came to losing the Australia we all love, and how close we came to following the US to social decline.  

 ......Turnbull is not prone to gaffes. He will not attract the derisory comments at home and abroad that have raged across social media during Abbott’s first eight months. So, with Turnbull ticking all the right boxes, why would the liberals want to draw attention to him now? Abbott is already on the ropes for his gaffes, his deceptive manner and his disastrous budget. What is to be gained by having him compared very publicly with the one person in the government who looks more like a leader than he does? 

There is something missing in this equation, something deep and sinister. Could it be that the power brokers deep inside the bowels of the Liberal party have had enough of Abbott for all the reasons listed above and have already decided that he has to go. We know they will do anything to stay in power and when it comes to bumping off an unpopular leader they have an impressive record. Gorton, Sneddon, Peacock, Howard, Downer, Nelson and Turnbull himself all went the same way. The only difference is that some went quietly. To dump Abbott and install Turnbull will be awkward and bloody and will take some time to implement. It will also make all of them look so utterly hypocritical given their reaction to the Rudd/Gillard coup. more