Well the backbenchers have been complaining about how Abbott's office has been running the communications system within the party.
They have come up against the Credlin choke and don't like it.
They want changes and some changes have occurred with an attempt to open up communication lines between the PM and the feedback from the electorate via the local members.
There is still discontent from Abbott detractors within the party who are making targeted leaks to the media designed to coincide with announcements that relate to the leak content.
This is an attempt to undermine the PM over time.
It's a common tactic that we recently saw with the Government itself, over January, making targeted leaks against Gillian Triggs through NewsCorp while the Government sat on her report. Those leaks put Triggs in a position where she came to enquire through back channels what was the Government opinion of her. The purpose was to undermine her position.
We see the same with Abbott detractors undermining his position so the whole of Canberra starts to gossip about it.
As we saw this week, some targeted leaks about Credlin and her partner resisting the release of information about party funding.
Then at the end of the sitting week when the pollies and media socialise before returning home with drinks and meals around the Canberra venues. Some pollies who supported Abbott in the spill, after a few drinks gossip about Abbott's deteriorating position, musing that he is trashing the Liberal brand but indicating that the time is not right to replace him.
Wondering aloud how it would be done.
A tap on the shoulder from a group of Ministers.
Would he put up a fight or acquiesce.
Or another spill with a dummy candidate designed to open up the vacancies.
