Abetz cops lashing from ex-Lib senator

FORMER Liberal tourism minister Richard Colbeck has attacked Eric Abetz on social media, accusing the powerful Tasmanian Liberal Senator of double standards.

After a week in Australian politics defined by tensions in the Coalition Government, Senator Abetz called for unity within the Liberal-National Party ranks at the weekend.

However, tensions rose again after Treasurer Scott Morrison labelled the interventions of former prime min- ister Tony Abbott “unhelpful”.

Senator Abetz, a strong supporter of Mr Abbott, told the ABC yesterday comments like that were hurting the party.

“If we kept the discussion to policy rather than personality I think the Liberal-National Party Government would be doing a lot better,” he said.

This provoked a sharp retort from Mr Colbeck on his Twitter account yesterday.

“Abetz calling for unity?!!” he tweeted.

“Nov last he said ‘you don’t deal with disunity by talking about it’ #auspol #politas #damagedone.”

Mr Colbeck’s 16-year career as a senator ended last year when he was placed in the risky fifth position on the Liberal Senate ticket for the federal election and subsequently failed to secure re-election. Mr Colbeck is now a lobbyist for travel company Stayz.

Following his dumping from Parliament, Mr Colbeck — who was believed to be the only Tasmanian Liberal to support Malcolm Turnbull ousting Mr Abbott as prime minister — served up a blunt warning to the Liberal Party saying the perception of disunity was “killing us”.

In the Mercury article about Mr Colbeck’s barb made at the party’s state council in November last year, Senator Abetz responded to the comment that “unity is never achieved by talking about disunity”.

Senator Abetz was contacted for comment.