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Pyne ducks and weaves in Abbott name game

Senior cabinet minister Christopher Pyne has been dragged into a peculiar game of "name that former prime minister" as Liberal party infighting drags on.

File image of Tony Abbott (left) and Christopher Pyne duirng a sitting of parliament
File image of Tony Abbott (left) and Christopher Pyne duirng a sitting of parliament Source: AAP

Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne has been dragged into an awkward game of "name that former prime minister" after Liberal party infighting took a peculiar turn.

Opposition MPs have labelled Tony Abbott the Lord Voldemort of the Liberals - after the unspeakable Harry Potter antagonist - following Malcolm Turnbull's refusal to utter his name during an interview this week.

Mr Pyne was clearly unimpressed when pressed on the topic during a regular television appearance on Friday.

"I think that's a 10th, 20th, 100th order issue," he told the Nine Network.

"We have the G20, we have North Korea, I am working on jobs and investment and economic growth in the defence industry and national security. I'm not even going to entertain that question."

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Today Show host Sylvia Jeffreys pushed on, repeatedly urging her guest to refer to Mr Abbott by name.

"I'm not going to get into this Sylvia. This is just silly," Mr Pyne said.

"Oh stop it. This is ridiculous."

Who was the prime minister before Malcolm Turnbull, the host asked.

"Tony Abbott was," Mr Pyne fired back before brushing off suggestions he had had a tough week, insisting it had been great.

But the minister was clearly unamused when his hosts played pop group Destiny's Child chart-topping hit Say My Name to round off the segment.


2 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP



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