Seems as much a mea culpa to Rupert Murdoch as to the Australian people.
Some of these flaws correspond to Murdoch's tweets and public utterances, and that's revealing. Throughout his life, Abbott has a habit of parroting in public what his boss tells him to show his loyalty and obedience - like his speech in China on his first visit as PM, he paraphrased part of Murdoch's speech to the Institute of Public Affairs at its 70th birthday. (No one seemed to notice, oddly enough.)
Of course he wants the job back, but it's a waiting game now, so plenty of time to try and repair the damage that Credlin did when she threatened The Australian editor and Abbott himself backed down on the Racial Discrimination amendment and some of the other items on the IPA/Murdoch wishlist.
