Turnbull the loser in leader's winning moves

This was published 10 years ago

Turnbull the loser in leader's winning moves

TONY Abbott showed the quality of leadership; Barnaby Joyce demonstrated the maverick can be a team player.

Abbott would have been open to serious criticism if he had not used the unexpected opportunity of Nick Minchin's frontbench departure to shift Joyce out of finance. Andrew Robb will beef up the Coalition's economic credentials with business. He has the experience and the temperament to oversee the detailed work that's needed to get sufficient rigour into the opposition's numbers.

Abbott did not run the risk of taking up the offer from Malcolm Turnbull to add his weight to the frontbench. Turnbull in the finance role would have been a more showy public performer. But the dangers and baggage were seen as too great.

One problem, which Abbott highlighted, was that the emissions trading legislation - on which Turnbull crossed the floor - is still before Parliament. Another difficulty, which he didn't mention, was the fear that having Turnbull on the frontbench would have been a source of instability and trouble.

In the end, concerns that Joyce would cut up rough and go to the backbench if he had to move proved groundless - although he did make the offer.


He stayed in the tent - a tribute to Abbott's people skills and Joyce's commonsense - and he is in a much more suitable portfolio. His opposite numbers will be Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong, two of the most senior members of the government, and he will have maximum scope for the campaigning at which he excels.

Both Joyce and Turnbull will be disappointed men today. But Turnbull is the bigger loser because he has been denied an opportunity. Abbott has opted to act decisively but has steered away from playing with fire.

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