Prime Minister Tony Abbott has admitted he made a "terrible mistake" by losing touch with the concerns of government backbenchers before last week's leadership spill – a veiled swipe at the performance of sacked government whip Philip Ruddock.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The removal of the respected party elder has angered some government backbenchers, with Queensland MP Andrew Laming labelling the move a "scapegoating of Godzilla proportions" and saying its timing "reeks of recrimination".
Government unrest grew on Sunday following a damaging cabinet leak that Mr Abbott and his chief of staff Peta Credlin had pushed for a six-month wait for the dole for young Australians against the advice of relevant ministers Kevin Andrews and Eric Abetz.
New Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has indicated that the policy will be abandoned after failing to secure the support of the Senate crossbench.
Mr Abbott asked Mr Ruddock to step down from the whip's position on Friday after being taken by surprise earlier in the week by the number of MPs who voted for a spill motion against him.
One of the whip's responsibilities is keeping the prime minister in touch with the views of the backbench.
"I suppose last year I was so focused on economic security issues, on national security issues, that I didn't have enough time to talk to my colleagues," Mr Abbott told Channel Ten's Bolt Report on Sunday.
"This obviously was a terrible mistake. It was a terrible failing. It's not something that I'm ever going to repeat.
"One of the reasons why I've made some changes to the Whip's office is because I do want a much stronger relationship with the backbench in the future than I've had in the recent past.
"Plainly, I wasn't as aware as I should have been of all of this. I never want to find myself in this position ever again."
Mr Ruddock responded by telling Sky News: "My expectation is that if the Prime Minister had concerns about the way I undertook the task he would put them to me."
Mr Ruddock said it would not have been appropriate for him to publicly lobby for Mr Abbott to remain as leader.
"To be a barracker rather than refusing to comment was in my view not the appropriate way forward," Mr Ruddock said.
"The Prime Minister had my support, and I did what I believe was the appropriate role."
Mr Ruddock, who was elected in 1973, was replaced by Queensland MP Scott Buchholz, with strong Abbott supporter Andrew Nikolic appointed a Deputy Whip.
