Tony Abbott may have held on to his leadership during the recent spill, but his troubles are are far from over.
Overnight, a series of emails from Liberal party treasurer Brian Higginson were ‘leaked’ – read ‘straight-up released to the media’ – highlighting an ongoing internal dispute over transparency and finances.
In the emails, which were sent to 27 members of the Liberal Party executive, including Abbott, Higginson threatened to resign, saying he felt “overwhelmed by the sheer vitriol” engulfing the party.
He also complained that the conflict of interest between Abbott’s chief of staff Peta Credlin and her husband, federal director Brian Loughnane, has made it difficult for him to do his job.
Amongst other things, he said that he was only able to sign off on the party’s 2013-14 accounts this past week, thanks to significant delays in receiving the information he needed.
“Conflict of interest is a serious problem between the Federal Secretariat … and the [Prime Minister’s Office] … and I find the situation, if it weren’t so serious, almost amusing,” Higginson wrote.
“How this party ever let a husband-and-wife team into those two key roles where collegiate competitive tension is mandatory and private consultations between colleagues to see each side is served well, is a complete mystery.”
“A managing director would never allow his executive assistant to be the wife of the chairman.”
Ouch.
Seven of Abbott’s own ministers have put him on notice, saying that if his polling numbers have not improved by June, they may make another movement to rumble him from power.
In one bright spot for the Prime Minister, the latest Newspoll shows that the Coalition’s primary vote is now tied with that of the opposition, sitting neck and neck at 38%.
On a two-party preferred basis, the Coalition’s numbers have risen, from 43-57 to 47-53.
via News Limited / Fairfax
Photo: Stefan Postles via Getty Images
