WHILE it was heartening on Thursday evening to see a photograph on Ann Sudmalis’ Facebook page of her showing the Prime Minister the front page South Coast Register story about the Shoalhaven paper mill closure, one can’t help if Mr Abbott is in any position to do anything about it.
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On the same evening Mrs Sudmalis posted the photo, news was circulating about renewed leadership rumblings in the wake of yet another torrid week for the PM. Any notion that the embattled leader could take his eyes off the sharks circling ever closer seems naive.
The momentum for a change at the top now seems unstoppable, according to most political commentators. If that is indeed the case, the sooner it happens, the better for the sake of the country.
There is mounting evidence that the instability in Canberra is taking its toll on the national economy.
This was borne out on Friday when Woolworths chief executive officer Grant O’Brien, who was announcing a disappointing half-yearly profit result for the supermarket giant, said political instability was hurting consumer spending.
Mr O’Brien pointed to low interest rates, relatively weak unemployment and declining food and fuel prices as factors that normally stimulated the economy.
The one ingredient missing, however, was political stability and that was dampening confidence.
That soft confidence is being felt throughout the economy but will be particularly hurtful here in the Shoalhaven if it is not addressed and turned around quickly.
So it has become vital that the Liberal Party convincingly gets its house in order so it can get on with the business of government. If that means changing leaders and setting a new course, it should happen now. If it means sticking with the leader it has in Tony Abbott, he must do better to win back the confidence of his own parliamentary party – something to date he has not managed to do.
