Contact lists for our politicians were posted here early Sunday. The Daily Telegraph reports that MPs got close to 300 emails per electorate on the weekend, 20 – 1 in favor of Abbott. My message Friday and the message of emailers was that a shift to Turnbull would split the party. Passion against Turnbull runs deep.
Multiple Liberal MPs received close to 300 emails, per electorate, from the party faithful at the weekend with support for Prime Minister Tony Abbott running at “20-1”.
It can also be revealed in February 2009 when Mr Turnbull was Opposition Leader he trailed Labor 58 per cent to 42 per cent on the Newspoll two party preferred vote.
The Liberal Party’s primary vote was just 32 per cent.
Backbench MPs across Australia contacted by The Daily Telegraph last night confirmed constituents had launched an uprising against the change.
West Australian MP Ian Goodenough, who hails from Julie Bishop heartland, said his constituents had demanded Mr Abbott remains Prime Minister.
“My emails are running at a ratio of 20 to 1 support for the Prime Minister and Facebook is around 10 to 1,’’ he told The Daily Telegraph last night.
South Australian MP Tony Pasin said he had received more correspondence on the leadership issue than any other issue since he has been in parliament.
He confirmed most were from Liberal Party voters warning against a change in leadership.
“It’s the issue that’s attracted more traffic in my office than any other period since we were elected in 2013,’’ he said.
I was surprised when I searched on Saturday that there were not more contact lists posted in other places. (Did I miss them?) It suggests fans of small government are a bit naive and disorganized. It’s a true grassroots thing, isn’t it? (Andrew Bolt has picked up the email list from here yesterday after the vote.)
Thank you from me to all the readers who responded to the call for feedback to our MPs and Senators. To the cynics and the pessimists, I say, never give up. Your voice does matter, but fans of big-government and big-handouts don’t want you to think that.
But there is a lot to do.