Challenge to PM is futile, says Entsch
POSITIVE policies implemented by the Federal Government have been “lost” due to the recent leadership spill, according to federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch.
All eyes were on Canberra yesterday when Peter Dutton stepped up to challenge Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for the leadership of the Liberal Party.
But Mr Turnbull defeated the leadership challenge in a 48-35 vote, which resulted in Mr Dutton electing to resign from Cabinet. He will now sit on the backbench with former prime minister Tony Abbott and Barnaby Joyce.
Speaking to the Cairns Post from Canberra, Mr Entsch said, even if there was a leadership change, it wouldn’t be enough to make an impact. “Five minutes from an election and even if there was a change, there’s not enough time to change things,” he said.
“At the end of the day you’re never going to get a full consensus on what goes through. Politics is the art of compromise.”
Mr Entsch described the process as “futile and ridiculous”.
“Most of the criticism coming from our side is coming from the former prime minister,” he said.
“He’s effectively playing the role of a wrecker, undermining and sniping – something he absolutely committed never to do back in those days.
“It seems to me … there’s absolutely nothing the Prime Minister could do to satisfy the former prime minister and to me it is all about revenge.
“It is personal with him and I think it’s sad.
“He’d rather see the government fail than see the Prime Minister continue.”
Mr Abbott put out a statement responding to reports Mr Entsch had a go at him for undermining the party with his regular public criticism of the Prime Minister.
“Unlike too many of my colleagues, my practice is take responsibility for what I think and say,” Mr Abbott said.
IT IS PERSONAL WITH HIM AND I THINK IT’S SAD, HE’D RATHER SEE THE GOVERNMENT FAIL THAN SEE THE PRIME MINISTER CONTINUE WARREN ENTSCH ON TONY ABBOTT