"Tony Abbott returns to work today in the wake of a damaging top-level leak showing a rift with two senior ministers and questions about when he will visit Queensland for the State election campaign.
The Prime Minister faces unwelcome scrutiny over revelations he rammed through Cabinet's razor gang the now-abandoned plan to slash the Medicare rebate for short visits to the doctor over the objections of Treasurer Joe Hockey and then-health minister Peter Dutton.
Mr Abbott was forced to interrupt a long-planned holiday last week to quell a backlash, opting to dump the cut before it was meant to start today. New Health Minister Sussan Ley this week will begin consultations with medical groups and crossbenchers to try to salvage some sort of co-payment.
It has emerged Mr Hockey and Mr Dutton opposed the back-up plan devised by the PM's office when the Expenditure Review Committee considered it last year.
News Corporation reported Mr Hockey and Mr Dutton fiercely argued the changes would confuse voters and enrage doctors."
