Latest breach follows a stern warning from Tony Abbott about unity and a broadside from Eric Abetz, who chided ‘gutless’ commenters

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The cabinet has been functioning “exceptionally well”, according to leaked briefing notes sent to ministerial advisers on Wednesday.

The talking points outlined the main topics of the day, and suggested ways for MPs to handle questions about cabinet leaks.

It suggested sidestepping the question by saying: “We don’t comment on cabinet discussions.” If that did not work, MPs could try bringing the conversation back to the Coalition’s economic message.

“The government is focused on delivering jobs and growth. Just yesterday the government announced its decision on lawfare,” the document said, referring to the crackdown on environmental groups using the legal system to halt mining and infrastructure projects.

If all else failed, an MP should shine a spotlight on the “chaos” of the Labor years, the document said.

“In contrast to the experiences of Rudd and Gillard governments, our cabinet is functioning exceptionally well. Everyone knows that under Labor, cabinet submissions were almost never lodged on time and would instead more often arrive on the day or weekend before a cabinet meeting. Julia Gillard sent her bodyguard to NSC [national security committee] meetings. Our cabinet processes are far more effective and productive than Labor’s chaos,” the talking points said.

On Tuesday Tony Abbott warned his ministers that leaking would have consequences.

Abbott stuck to the script during question time, using a question on the leaked document to attack Labor’s record of rolling its leaders.

“Twice this leader of the opposition led the Sussex Street death squads politically to assassinate two prime ministers,” Abbott said of Bill Shorten, who he described as a “smirking phoney”.



Abbott conceded on Wednesday that the past few weeks had been tough, after internal divisions over same-sex marriage and other matters were laid bare.

“There is a sense that every day is testing for the government, for ministers and prime ministers,” he said.

“Everyone knows what the rules are,” he said when asked by reporters about the leaks. “But the important thing is that every day this government is focused on jobs, growth and community safety.”

The leader of the government in the Senate, Eric Abetz, blasted colleagues who aired dirty laundry in public.

“I talk to my colleagues face-to-face or not at all. I’m not one of those people that has unattributed comments in the media,” Abetz told ABC radio on Wednesday. “One, I think it’s gutless. Two, it’s a breach of the rules. And so if somebody is gutless and in breach of the rules, one really wonders why a journalist even bothers to repeat comments from such an individual.”

Abetz, who had evidently read the briefing notes, said: “Things are going exceptionally well with the government’s agenda”, but that every now and then unfortunate “breakouts” of cabinet solidarity occurred.