Well we all knew this was bound to happen as the media changed its focus in the hunt for political bloodletting………
Abbott plans cause Liberal dissent by Andrew Probyn in The West Australian on 29th February 2012:
“Fighting has erupted within Liberal ranks caused by old enmities and Tony Abbott's spending priorities.
Argument inside the coalition party room about the Opposition Leader's extremely generous paid parental leave scheme was yesterday temporarily interrupted by another blue.
When Victorian Liberal Senator Scott Ryan sided with consumers over the milk wars, citing WA supermarket prices at one point, Liberal headkicker and farmer Bill Heffernan called his colleague a "f…wit".
Others rounded on Senator Heffernan. Sophie Mirabella bellowed at the 68-year-old to "pop your Alzheimer pills".
And Mr Abbott had to fend off harsh criticism of his paid parental leave scheme which _The West Australian _ has been told is "practically friendless" in shadow Cabinet.
Victorian MP Russell Broadbent said the $3.3 billion scheme, part funded by a 1.5 per cent tax on big business, was the wrong priority when the Opposition should be looking to fund such things as disability services.
Queenslander Sue Boyce agreed, describing Mr Abbott’s proposal as a “Rolls-Royce scheme, when all we need is a Holden scheme”. Under the policy, a woman who takes six months leave to look after their baby will get six months income replacement, capped at $75,000 for women who earn more than $150,000. Despite being deeply unpopular with his entire economic team, the policy was vigorously defended by Mr Abbott who said it was a workplace entitlement and, though a tax on the biggest companies, would increase productivity. One senior Liberal said Mr Abbott was so wedded to the policy that if he was to forced to ditch policies “this one would survive”.
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