‘Spiritual malaise’: Tony Abbott’s Liberal rallying cry
Newly elected leader Tony Abbott said the Liberal Party remained the best hope for an alternative government despite suffering an “existential crisis”.
The former prime minister’s appointment was made official at the party’s federal council meeting in Melbourne on Friday.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Abbott said: “I owe a great debt to the Liberal Party and so I see it as my duty to serve the party at this time of existential crisis.”
“As the last successful federal leader of the opposition, I believe I have the ability to help Angus Taylor become the next successful federal leader of the opposition.”
Mr Abbott led the coalition to a landslide election victory in 2013 before being replaced as leader two years later.
He said the country was drifting backwards, citing mass immigration, what he called damaging taxes and an unnecessary focus on emissions reductions.
“We don’t believe in ourselves anymore,” Mr. Abbott said.
“Our economy is stagnating, our society is falling apart, our security is in jeopardy, and underneath it all there is a kind of moral malaise.
“I firmly believe with all my being that we remain the best hope for better governance in this country.”
Outgoing chairman John Olsen said the party must confront its worst-ever federal election result and start rebuilding its fortunes.
The former South Australian premier called on the party to rebuild and regain the trust of Australians.
He told the council: “It takes character to rebuild when the work is hard and the road is long; I look forward to seeing the fortunes of the party restored.”
Mr Olsen said voters had taken into account infighting in the coalition, including temporary splits between the Liberals and Nationals, and that Australians expected “trust, belief and consistency”.
“They expect us to focus on bigger concerns than our internal disagreements,” he said.
While support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has increased, support for the federal Liberal Party has fallen to historic lows.
The dire situation and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor’s attack on the Albanian government’s controversial federal budget are hot topics at the council, which continues on Saturday.
The next Liberal leader to face a major election, Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, has vowed to rebuild the state she says has lost hope.
“We can win in Victoria in November. We can win the next federal election,” he said.
“The only way to remove Anthony Albanese is to vote Liberal.”
Ms. Wilson promised disciplined budgets and lower taxes by canceling an Indigenous treaty, freezing public service hiring and capping public sector executive salaries.
“Taxes should always be lower in a liberal government,” he said.
He promised to take tougher action against crimes, with prison sentences for those released on bail and harsher sentences for juvenile offenders.
Primary support for the coalition last week fell by one percentage point to 23 per cent, while support for One Nation rose by one percentage point to 25.5 per cent, according to Roy Morgan polling published on Tuesday.
Labour’s support fell two percentage points to 27.5 per cent over the same period.
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