Nationals senator 'fed up' with Liberal party tensions, says Abbott needs to 'fit in'

Nationals senator John Williams is sick of the Liberal Party's infighting, warning his coalition partners that division is death in politics.

John Williams

File: Nationals senator John Williams Source: AAP

A Nationals senator is "fed up" with his coalition partners and wants the Liberal Party to stop its infighting.

John Williams on Tuesday reminded the Liberal Party that "division is death", saying the debates, fuelled by the likes of Tony Abbott and Christopher Pyne, are taking away from the government's achievements.

"That is very frustrating, it is very annoying and I'm just fed up with it," he told ABC radio.

Senator Williams said the "in-house arguments" and their coverage in the media meant Bill Shorten and the Labor Party were getting a free ride.
He urged Mr Abbott, who keeps rearing his head in set speeches to offer free advice, to be more of a team player.

"As we were with Tony when he was prime minister," the senator said.

"I certainly was - we had a couple of disagreements on the odd occasion but I think Tony needs to just fit into the team."

He also cited Mr Pyne's remarks to a Liberal Federal Council afterparty in which he claimed same-sex marriage could be achieved sooner than people think.

Senator Williams warned any change to the government's plebiscite policy would be in breach of the Liberal's agreement with the Nationals.

"What would happen then - I don't know for sure," he said.

Mr Abbott addressed a Victorian Liberal Party branch meeting in Michael Sukkar's electorate on Monday night.

Mr Sukkar defended the guest speaker's appearance, saying it was a long-standing and routine invitation.

"It was a good meeting but I don't think it was anything particularly exciting to be honest," he told Sky News.

A Guardian Essential poll on Tuesday shows 43 per cent of the more than 1000 surveyed believe Mr Abbott should resign from parliament.


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Source: AAP


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