‘There’s a fight on’: Tony Abbott launches latest criticism of Liberal leadership – The Sydney Morning Herald

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has warned the Liberal Party is "haemorrhaging members" and needs to change, calling for the party's membership to be "liberated" from factional powerbrokers.

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There's no sign of the public spat between Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott abating with the former PM continuing his criticism of the party and the PM.

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There's no sign of the public spat between Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott abating with the former PM continuing his criticism of the party and the PM.

With party tensions on show over the past week thanks in part to the former prime minister's frequent interventions senior frontbencher and close Turnbull ally Arthur Sinodinos conceded the party could notcontrol him.

"If you're the government you can only control what you control. I can't control Tony Abbott," Senator Sinodinos said.

On Monday,Mr Abbott continuedhis campaign of media appearances and speeches with an interview withSydney radio station 2GB.

"It's a simple truth that we are hemorrhaging members," he said.

"We'rehaemorrhagingmembers in every state but it's a particular problem in NSW because we've got this dreadful situation where we have got factionalists and lobbyists who seem to be controlling the party. The best way to liberate our partyfrom factional control, the best way to liberate our part from the lobbyists, is to give every single member a vote.

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He batted away the suggestionhe was helping the Labor Party get elected, saying he wanted the government "to be the best possible government".

"There's a fight by themembership, by the rank and file, totake back what is rightly theirs, control over the lay party.

"And then there's a fight for the kind of policy which a Liberal-National government should be on about. Now,traditionallywhat we've been on about is lower taxes, smaller government, greater freedom."

Asked on Monday if Mr Abbott was deliberately agitating for change to take oxygen from the first anniversary of an elected Turnbull government, Senator Sinodinos demurred.

"You'd have to ask him whether it was deliberate or not," he told ABC radio.

OnSunday, Prime Minister MalcolmTurnbull used the July 2 anniversary to reveal he would walk away from politics if he lost the top job.

"When I cease to be prime minister, I will cease to be a member of parliament," he told News Corp.

"I am not giving anyone else advice but I just think that's what I would do."

But on Monday, Mr Turnbull declared he would remain in the top job for a "very long time" and would emerge victorious from the 2019 election.

"I can assure you I will be prime minister for many, many years to come," he said.

"So that's my commitment."

- with AAP

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'There's a fight on': Tony Abbott launches latest criticism of Liberal leadership - The Sydney Morning Herald

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