"It is what the polls predicted, and it is why the Libs dumped Abbott."
And lost 15 seats and were a Dan Andrews away from losing power completely.
Since when was a mid-term poll worth a spit?
John Howard was further behind than Abbott closer to the election and still won comfortably. There is absolutely no evidence that Abbott would have not done likewise.
Newspoll was used to justify Turnbull's treachery and then those same people then wanted to abandon it as a measure of competency as soon as Turnbull's numbers were worse. That alone speaks volumes about their character and the position the Libs are in now is a direct result of Turnbull's desire for revenge.
