Abbott suffers two huge setbacks

Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Source: AP

TONY Abbott's plan to end the year with a celebration of his government's achievements is being dashed by two crushing failures — to pass changes to both Medicare and university funding.

Today the Prime Minister mobilised his back bench to spend Christmas talking up the government's first 15 months to voters. But that could be difficult.

The government cannot get the backing of cross bench senators — some of whom are angry at Liberal "harassment" — to implement a Medicare co-payment and changes to university funding which were proposed in the May Budget, 204 days ago.

The year isn't ending how Mr Abbott hoped it would. Source: News Corp Australia

One of those cross bench members, Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm, said the government is hopeless at negotiating, and demanded a conscience vote on same sex marriage to get his support.

"It's kind of like the old joke about going to the dentist and you reach up under his jacket and you grab him by his delicate parts and you squeeze a little bit and say we're not going to hurt each other are we?" he said.

"My advice to Tony Abbott is, let's not hurt each other."

Senator David Leyonhjelm. Source: News Corp Australia

And the Prime Minister himself is facing a different pain, as his rating with voters hits dangerous lows in opinion surveys.

An Essential Media poll today found 56 per cent of voters did not think the Prime Minister had fundamentally kept faith with people, and 66 per cent said he was out of touch with ordinary Australians.

A Newspoll released today said 57 per cent of voters were dissatisfied with Mr Abbott's performance, compared to 43 per cent for Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Mr Shorten mocked the Prime Minister's attempt to refresh his and the government's standing during a lengthy press conference yesterday.

"It's Tony Abbott's year of broken promises and if Tony Abbott thinks that a 45-minute group therapy session with the press gallery was a John Howard moment he's kidding himself," Mr Shorten told Caucus.

"Tony Abbott is no John Howard."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is in a fine mood. Source: News Corp Australia

This was a reference to Mr Abbott's attempt at a historical parallel when he pointed out former Prime Minister Howard's government was in trouble in its first year, 1996, but won the 1998 election.

The parliamentary year will end on Thursday, with the government still unable to pass laws to introduce a $7 Medicare co-payment, deregulate university fees, or change the system of student loans.

The Prime Minister is being robbed of these key victories by Senate cross bench members who are angry at the lack of suitable consultation on the introduction of a Medicare co-payment and deregulation of university fees.

Independent Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie, meanwhile, is not in such a fine mood. Source: News Corp Australia

Mr Abbott didn't improve his chances of gaining the backing of independent Jacqui Lambie, who wants a better pay deal for the military, when he accused her of blackmail.

"What she is saying is that she will block everything unless we do this," he told the Seven network.

"This is a form of blackmail and this is not something that any sensible, mature government can submit itself to."

Senator Lambie vowed to continue her pay campaign. She wasn't the only cross bencher unimpressed with the Government.

Palmer United Party Senate leader Glenn Lazarus accused Education Minister Christopher Pyne of harassing him with text messages.

"I am being inundated with text messages from Christopher Pyne virtually begging me to support the Abbott Government's higher education reforms," said Senator Lazarus.

"I have never given Christopher Pyne my mobile phone number."

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Abbott suffers two huge setbacks

Dengan url

http://segarasa.blogspot.com/2014/12/abbott-suffers-two-huge-setbacks.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Abbott suffers two huge setbacks

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Abbott suffers two huge setbacks

sebagai sumbernya