The Prime Minister may have been hoping for a Christmas miracle by parking himself in front a Christmas tree for his Canberra media conference on Monday in which he admitted that his government's performance had been 'a bit of a ragged one'. In a one-hour long conference, he backed down on plans to cut allowances for Defence personnel as well as a proposal to increase student loan interest rates. Mr Abbott also for the first time accepted that the decision made to cut the ABC budget by $250 million was 'at odds' with a pre-election commitment not to make any cuts the broadcaster.
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Prime Minister 'I'm the first to admit the past week was a bit of a ragged one for the government'
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Also admits that he is contemplating a Budget 'Plan B'
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Accepted that the cuts to ABC were 'at odds' with pre-election promise
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Mr Abbott did not accept blame for the Victorian state election defeat
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All but conceded the $7 Medicare co-payment wouldn't get through the Senate in its current form
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Backs down on plan to increase interest rates for student loans
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Backs down on Defence allowances but pay offer stands
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