Mal’s swipe all vitriol

Turnbull unleashed expletive-laden critique of then PM Abbott

MALCOLM Turnbull gave Tony Abbott an expletive-ridden and scathing assessment of his prime ministership in a rant aboard a private plane after a booze-fuelled, celebritystudded Sydney party.

Fourteen months before he snatched the prime ministership, Mr Turnbull pulled the ripcord on Mr Abbott in a vitriolic spray within earshot of other ministers.

The critique was so venomous that several sources claim it even included the C-bomb.

The row unfolded on board the plush, wood-panelled VIP plane heading to Canberra after The Australian newspaper’s 50th birthday party in Sydney on July 15 in 2014.

Mr Turnbull was seated alongside Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch, James Packer, Kerry Stokes and then NSW premier Mike Baird at the event.

Mr Abbott sat at the head table beside Rupert Murdoch, former prime ministers John Howard and Paul Keating, former Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens and Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten also attended the dinner, along with Jeanne and Anthony Pratt, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce and Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett.

When the dinner was over, Mr Abbott, Mr Turnbull and cabinet ministers Julie Bishop, Joe Hockey and George Brandis caught a late-night VIP flight back to Canberra for the rest of the Parliamentary sitting week. The group continued the “jolly” atmosphere, drinking wine during the post-10pm flight on board the plane used by the Royals when they visit Australia.

Fresh from socialising with Australia’s business and media elite, Mr Turnbull expressed sharp words towards Mr Brandis during the flight over policy, and then, let loose at Mr Abbott. At the end of the flight, as they were about to disembark, Mr Turnbull is said to have given Mr Abbott a blistering assessment of his prime ministership – telling him he was “hopeless” and accusing him of being a “disloyal (expletive)”. Three sources on board the plane recalled the use of the C-word. One source on board the flight, who declined to be named, described Mr Turnbull’s comments as “belligerent”.

“It was Malcolm in full flight. Angry, bitter, (saying) you’re (expletive) hopeless, you’re a (expletive) (expletive)’, you should resign. He got quite close to his face.”

A spokesman for Mr Turnbull said “he does not use that sort of language”. Mr Abbott declined to comment.