Abbott’s strengths are discomforting the voters.

By Gary Scarrabelotti

An Opposition Leader’s job is not a happy one.

As the Leader of the Opposition in the federal parliament, Tony Abbott, has demonstrated that one can be an highly effective — in fact devastating — Opposition Leader and, at the same time, quite unpopular with the voters.

As the results of the latest Newspoll published in The Australian today indicate, the Member for Warringah is only slightly less unpopular in the community than the Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

While 59 per cent of respondents indicated that they were dissatisfied with the PM, 56 per cent reported that they were dissatisfied with Abbott.

There is no doubt that Abbott is tough enough and determined enough to wear this unpopularity.

If the mission is to destroy a bad Labor government and to lead the Coalition to victory, and if the price of accomplishing that mission is personal unpopularity, then pay it Abbott will. Let there be no mistake.

Most politicians crave popularity. Abbott is no exception. In fact he craves it more than most.  But Abbott possesses to an uncommonly high degree a readiness to forego the highest gratifications of political life if that’s what it takes to defeat his adversaries.

This is what makes Abbott such a different kind of political leader from those to whom we have become accustomed.  To win, he is prepared to sacrifice one of the greatest rewards that politics has to offer the professional player: the esteem of the demos.

But is it entirely necessary?

As for himself, a great man ought to be indifferent to the judgments of the fickle masses; but, as for his policies, the man of political ambition needs to cultivate the good opinion of the citizens.

As for himself, a great man ought to be indifferent to the judgments of the fickle masses; but, as for his policies, the man of political ambition needs to cultivate the good opinion of the citizens.

Most Australians would be ready — grudgingly at least — to admire Abbott for his athletic prowess: for his often demonstrated powers of physical and psychological endurance.  At the same time, the very qualities that are killing Julia Gillard, are also discomforting the voters.

Paradoxically (and yet prudently) Australians appear to hold that what is necessary and admirable on the sporting field, around which they sit in the role of spectators, is not a “fair cop” in the political arena where, willy-nilly, they also are players – players who might be obliged to keep up with Abbott if he wins the next federal election.

In short, people are scared. They wonder nervously to themselves,

“Will Abbott force us to run a marathon?”

So, Abbott’s inner circle of advisors might need, during this Happy Christmastide, to ponder some sobering advice and a New Year resolution to give it:

“Tony, the voters are not triathletes.

“They’d be much happier if you’d let them jog along with you. Of course, you have to be out front.  But not way out front.  And don’t set a pace they can’t keep.  Meantime, while you nurse them along, let them in, bit by bit, and in broad terms, about the place where you are leading them.

“Not to Gillard, Tony, but to the voters show mercy.”