Mr Reith has accused Mr Abbott of acting like a Labor factional thug after the federal opposition leader showed how he was voting in Saturday's ballot, which Mr Reith lost by one vote to incumbent Alan Stockdale, the West Australian newspaper reported on Monday.
Despite encouraging Mr Reith to run for party president, Mr Abbott decided at the last moment to vote for Mr Stockdale to avoid an outbreak of factionalism between moderates and conservatives in the party, the paper reported.
It said Mr Abbott showed Mr Stockdale, who won the vote 57-56, and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop his ballot paper before lodging it.
When the result become known, Mr Abbott turned to Ms Bishop and said, "Hell! I thought Reith would win," the paper said.
Ms Bishop was reportedly overheard replying: "Yeah. He lost by one vote, Tony."
Mr Reith told the West Australian he had promised Mr Abbott he would drop his interest in IR reform if he won the party presidency ballot.
However the deal is now off.
Writing in the West Australian, Mr Reith condemned Mr Abbott's "show and tell".
"This is the opposite of a secret ballot and much favoured by Labor party factional bosses who like to see the ballots to make sure that their lackeys vote as directed or as agreed in a deal," he said.
