Abbott blames everyone else for Lieberal woes - orders all to STFU

Confirming that presently it's not a good thing to have a conscience in the Lieberal party, Abbott has dug in and has (as he put it) "read the riot act" to both the Lieberals and Nationals to stay on message and shut the fuck up if you have any other view than Abbott's captain call. The issue? Gay marriage.

Yes folks, he has forbidden his ministers and wider coalition colleagues from saying anything other than that there will not be gay marriage in this term of gov, and that sometime after the next election there is a promise for either a community divisive plebiscite or a just about guaranteed to fail referendum. And if anyone is to stray from this message then there "would be consequences" for them.

In effect he's saying it's not his message that's the problem, it's his ministers not sticking to it. 

Never mind that about three quarters of the population think his message is crap. Just as long as he can get everyone to stick to the same crap message then all will be well.

How blind can you get. How delusional. How out of touch.

The only thing that was giving the Lieberals a glimmer of electoral salve on gay marriage were the people with conscience in the party who were publicly disagreeing with Abbott killing it off. Now Abbott's even killed off that. What is he thinking?  

Abbott isn't the only one either. At the same party room meeting Ann Sudmalis stood up and actually proclaimed that the Lieberals "had a great message", were "doing the country good" and the "message had been lost". 

Admitting it had been a scrappy fortnight for the Government, Mr Abbott told the joint-party room meeting this morning that ministers had been warned there "would be consequences" for any who did not maintain discipline in future. 

His warning came as one backbencher castigated her Cabinet colleagues for their behaviour. 

The Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis, spent five minutes berating ministers for what she saw as the debacle after the same-sex marriage debate last week. 

She said Cabinet ministers were sacrificing people in marginal seats for the luxury of expressing their own views in public, and called for "unity". 

When she sat down she was cheered by other backbenchers. 

The comments were seen as being out of character for Ms Sudmalis, who does not often speak at the party room meetings. 

"I didn't take on this position to see my country's future frittered away," Ms Sudmalis told ABC local radio after the meeting. 

"I just added some perspective on it from a marginal seat holder, saying that we've got a great message to take forward. 

"We are actually doing the country good and that message has been lost and we need to work together." more

WTF? The message has been heard loud and bloody clear. Kill the planet with coal, destroy renewables, taxpayers money on Royal Commission witch hunts, Choppergate, the continual inequality of the LGBT, and on and on. The electorate has heard enough and is heartily sick of it. 

But don't let any ministers hint of differing opinions in the Lieberals. Apparently that's a "luxury".