Abbott to keep heat under PM

FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott has stirred tensions with Malcolm Turnbull yet again, releasing his sixpoint plan to win the next election and vowing he is “in no hurry to leave public life”.

Mr Abbott has called on the Prime Minister to stop “frivolous spending”, end subsidies for “unreliable” energy and make housing more affordable by slashing immigration.

His plan also includes reform of the Senate, tougher policies to “keep jihadis off the streets”, and to “celebrate Australia” by welcoming “straight talking”.

Mr Abbott – who once vowed not to snipe or undermine Mr Turnbull – delivered several thinly-veiled digs at the Prime Minister in a speech to the Institute of Public Affairs yesterday.

“Our country, plainly, is not working as it should,” Mr Abbott said. “We are not what we should be and we know it. That’s why most of the attempted pep talks sound so hollow.

“But I can assure you: I’m in no hurry to leave public life because we need strong liberal conservative voices now, more than ever.”

“I will do my best to be a standard bearer for the values and the policies that have made us strong.”