The Age argues in its editorial titled Abbott risks looking like a bitter wrecker that Tony Abbott and a small number of other disaffected parliamentarians are behaving in a way that does not help the government.
Tasmanian Eric Abetz and Victorian Kevin Andrews, both dumped from the ministry by Mr Turnbull, are snipers alongside Mr Abbott. Their public forays on matters including defence and same-sex marriage appear disingenuous attempts to undermine Mr Turnbull, and are a gift to floundering Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. Far from showing character and grace in defeat, and putting the greater good of their party to the fore, Mr Abbott, Mr Andrews and Senator Abetz risk looking mendacious and petulant. Of course they have a right to speak freely, but they also know full well the context within which they opine, and that their words are bullets.
Mr Abbott's latest act of bad faith and provocation is a speech he gave this week to a conservative Christian group in America, in which he attacked same-sex marriage.
Mr Turnbull, like a big majority of Australians, supports marriage equality. When the unfair and outmoded legal block on same-sex couples marrying is removed in Australia, as it has been in many other nations and is likely here in the next few years, the institution of marriage will be buttressed, not undermined. As the majority of Mr Abbott's colleagues and indeed of the nation's lawmakers know, only one thing will happen; people in love will get married.
Mr Abbott and his small band of sullen snipers could become a damaging distraction in Parliament. Mr Turnbull is in a tricky position; like all political leaders who want to run an effective government, he needs to assert discipline, without looking overly reactive and fragile.
