Abbott Won’t Be PM By Next Election: Dee Madigan

Abbott Won’t Be PM By Next Election: Dee Madigan

[UPDATED] Media commentator, Labor party marketeer and Gruen Transfer regular Dee Madigan – who wrongly tipped Turnbull to oust Tony Abbott at this morning’s spill – says despite the PM’s victory of sorts he won’t lead the Coalition at the next election.

Madigan, who just finished working as a strategist for the Labor Party’s recent successful Queensland election campaign, believes today’s victory will be a short one for Abbott, who will ultimately make way for Malcolm Turnbull.

“Abbott’s actually quite a decent bloke – I’ve worked for him – he’s just a terrible prime minister,” Madigan told B&T. She believes Abbott’s win this morning “means nothing” and “he won’t be prime minister at the next election”. Madigan added: “Abbott’s like Gillard – popular in the party room – but I think there’s no way all those Liberal backbenchers in a marginal seat will allow him to continue. Eventually your own survival instincts kick in and you will go with whoever you think will save your job.”

And Madigan should know something about Prime Ministers. She famously worked with Kevin Rudd during his failed 2013 federal election, an experience she detailed in her 2014 book The Hard Sell.

“The problem for Turnbull is there is a lot of people in the Liberal party with this very right-wing agenda and that’s why Abbott got there in the first place. The problem for the Libs is that this is not an agenda supported by the general public. There’s this tussle going on with what the voter wants, what the Liberal party wants and I suspect that Malcolm Turnbull will soon find himself in a very precarious position trying to please two very different masters,” she said.

And Madigan agrees that the electorate has become sick of the internal ructions – and leadership woes – of both the major parties.

“Yes, I agree, the electorate is absolutely sick of it and people are seeing through it. The electorate isn’t stupid, they want good leader with good policies. Abbott promised stability and promised a grown-up government and they haven’t delivered.

“Abbott blatantly lied. He came out will all these election promises and reneged on all of them and you can’t treat the public like they’re stupid. They made out like the country is in some terrible financial hardship and then all the budget did was hurt poor people, the people who could least afford it and left the wealthy alone. There has been nothing good about what Abbott has done.”

Madigan predicts that Turnbull will lead the Libs to the next election; however, she says he too may already be “damaged” in voters’ eyes.

“I think he (Turnbull) is going to struggle to sell himself as a conviction politician because the convictions of those who may possibly put him in power (tomorrow) are very different to his own personal convictions to which he has been very open about.

“The public can see it, they can see him lying when he says he supports one thing and goes and says something else. And I think he’s lost massive credibility stock with the public from what he had when he initially entered politics. I personally believe he’s too damaged to be able to do a good job (as Prime Minister),” she said.




Latest News

It’s Friday Quiz Time Again!
  • Media

It’s Friday Quiz Time Again!

Take B&T's trivia quiz for your chance to win a $100 booze voucher and possible cirrhosis of a major internal organ.

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Big data technology and data science illustration. Data flow concept. Querying, analysing, visualizing complex information. Neural network for artificial intelligence. Data mining. Business analytics.
  • Marketing

SenateSHJ Launches New Trans-Tasman Practices

SenateSHJ has launched a new digital, data and insights capability designed to help clients tackle the growing complexity of communication challenges. SenateSHJ Digital, Data and Insights (DDI) will combine the firm’s existing Digital and Insights functions to create a Trans-Tasman capability focused on digital communication, and the generation and use of data to improve communication. […]

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile
  • Media

New BrandStory Format From Bonzai Allows 3x More Ad Space on Mobile

Creative technology platform Bonzai has announced the launch of BrandStory – a new premium mobile ad format. BrandStory offers triple the ad space and 2.8 times greater time in view than single scroll ad formats, addressing the surging demand from brands worldwide for more real estate to drive real results by seamlessly intertwining awareness, exploration […]

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7
  • Advertising

B&T’s Search For Australia’s Greatest Ad Heads To Channel 7

B&T went through the looking glass this morning, with editor-in-chief David Hovenden (above) appearing on Channel 7’s The Morning Show to get the general public involved in our search for Australia’s Greatest Ad. Hovenden chatted with Kylie Gillies and stand-in host Matt Doran about what makes a great ad and showcasing some of our favourites […]

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma
  • Opinion

Opinion: The Tall Planner’s Kate Smither On The DBA Dilemma

The science is not in question – smarter people than I, with far more data, have codified it. The logic is not up for grabs…it makes sense that creating mental shortcuts to your brand keeps you at the top of your mind. Lead image: Kate Smither – Owner, The Tall Planner I wouldn’t even take […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
African woman using a cellphone in an office alone
  • Marketing

Ortto & Tall Bob Partner To Deliver Better SMS & MMS For Australian & NZ Businesses

Two Australian-born technology providers have joined forces to bring more power and choice to marketers in Australia and New Zealand with mobile messaging that is more local, cost-effective, and integrated. It’s a partnership that sees two Australian software companies come together to deliver a world-class mobile-first solution for marketers building data-driven, personalised, omnichannel campaigns. While […]

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.
  • Media

Slew Of New Hires At Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. has announced a number of new recruits. B&T unaware if it positively impacted SEEK's share price.

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh
  • Technology

Reddit Gets Playful Brand Refresh

This will be of interest to any Reddit fans, graphic designers or lovers of an orange so bright it burns the retinas.

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market
  • Advertising

Zitcha & Broadsign Partner To Drive Global In-Store Retail Media Market

Zitcha and Broadsign have teamed up to integrate the Broadsign out-of-home (OOH) advertising platform with Zitcha’s retail media platform. The collaboration empowers retailers to maximise and monetise in-store digital display networks and enables advertising partners to easily view and book available in-store inventory and review campaign performance alongside the retailer’s other media channels. With the […]

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label
  • Marketing

Double Rainbouu & 7-Eleven Launch Exclusive Summer Fashion Label

Today, 7-Eleven has announced a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the popular Sydney-based anti-resort wear label Double Rainbouu. Dropping tomorrow, December 1, just in time for summer, this limited-edition capsule will infuse the fashion brand’s rebellious spirit with a distinctly iconic 7-Eleven flavour. The unisex collection features five must-have styles comprising two signature Hawaiian shirts, a peaked cap, a bucket hat […]