‘I will be working to ensure that we have the best possible government out of next year’s election,’ former prime minister tells crowd at exclusive function

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Tony Abbott continues to hint he will stay in parliament beyond the next federal election, despite a poll finding the majority of his electorate saying he should step down and make way for a new Liberal candidate.

Tony Abbott should quit parliament, voters in his electorate tell pollsters Read more

Abbott, who lost the leadership to Malcolm Turnbull in September, indicated to an exclusive crowd at a recent function that he would be in politics for a while, News Corp publications reported on Sunday.

“I will be working to ensure that we have the best possible government out of next year’s election,’’ Abbott said. “We will do everything we humanly can to ensure the best possible Coalition government is there in Canberra. And I know we will all be working, together, for that great end.’’

The invite-only event was organised by the former defence minister, Kevin Andrews, an Abbott loyalist who was dumped from the ministry after Turnbull took the reins.

At the event, Abbott warned against “change for change’s sake” when it comes to tax reform.

“The results of tax change has got to be tax which is lower, simpler and fairer. If it doesn’t produce taxes that are lower, simpler and fairer it’s not reform. It is just change,” he said. “We want change that’s worth it, not just change for changes sake.’’

The issue of tax reform and in particular, whether the goods and service tax (GST) should be increased and its base broadened, has been a hot topic.

Turnbull has set a deadline of March to solidify a model on reform, announcing the Council of Australian governments (Coag) will reach a conclusion on tax at its next meeting in March.

The Coalition has repeatedly said that all tax options, including changing the GST, remain on the table.

Abbott has been ramping up his language since the leadership spill, after saying he would contemplate his future over the Christmas break.

Tony Abbott says political future not ‘entirely resolved’, but hints he will stay in parliament Read more

Earlier this month he said he had not yet “entirely resolved” the question of whether or not to remain in politics, but indicated he would.

“I’ve had literally thousands and thousands of messages of support and encouragement since mid-September. I’ve had a lot of people talk to me as I get around the electorate and still, to some extent, around the country. The message that I’m getting from them, overwhelmingly, is that I still have a contribution to make to our public life,” Abbott told Sky News.

“It is still ‘if’ I stay on. But public life is I think a vocation, if I may say so. Being a member of parliament, including a backbench member of parliament is a noble and an honourable calling,” he said.

A poll taken last week found that the majority of voters in Abbott’s Sydney seat of Warringah want the former prime minister to retire.

Just under 51% of the 743 voters surveyed for the ReachTel poll thought it was best if Abbott left politics.