Fed: Coalition should provide substance, Hewson says

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2009
Fed: Coalition should provide substance, Hewson says

CANBERRA, Dec 11 AAP - A former opposition leader has warned the federal coalition
it will lose credibility by just being negative and opposing all government policy.

John Hewson, who led the coalition to defeat in 1993, says new opposition leader Tony
Abbott has put together an effective frontbench to take on Labor.

But whether he was able to build sufficient credibility to be seen as an alternative
prime minister was a very big question, he said, adding the new coalition frontbench needed
to keep a sense of perspective.

"They'll lose credibility, just by being a negative, by being in opposition, by not
offering any substance," Dr Hewson told Sky News on Friday.

Mr Abbott's tactic to hold the government accountable and "belt them every day" would
work for a while.

"But I think opposition is a bit more than just being negative and opposing."

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KEYWORD: LIBERALS HEWSON

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