Troop visit row a Labor trap, says Abbott

Still fuming about being portrayed as lukewarm about visiting Australian troops in Afghanistan, Opposition leader Tony Abbott accused the Government yesterday of undertaking a "carefully laid political ambush".

He also claimed the Labor Party were world champions at "Machiavellian bastardry" - an insult he had already levelled at Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

The row was sparked by revelations that Abbott had turned down an invitation to accompany Gillard on a recent visit to Australian troops. At the time, he said he wanted to avoid being jetlagged at the British Conservative Party conference and a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron. The explanation was not well received, and he was forced to apologise.

Last weekend, it emerged that the real reason Abbott declined was that he had already arranged his own trip to Afghanistan, but could not say so, on security grounds. Speaking at the Australian Tarin Kowt base, he accused Gillard - who, he said, knew in advance he was planning a visit - of "an act of low bastardry" in making political capital out of the affair.

That may not be entirely fair, since the fact of him refusing Gillard's invitation did not come from the Government, according to the journalist who revealed it, the Sydney Morning Herald's Phillip Coorey.

Some commentators are questioning not only Abbott's political judgment, but his use of language.

The Sydney Morning Herald observed that "even by the robust standards of Australian political biffo, [bastardry] is a startling insult", while the Age - noting that it means "cruel, despicable or malicious behaviour" - asked whether he really meant that. In fact, Abbott deployed the word only six weeks ago, when he accused the Government of "an act of utter political bastardry" in leaking Treasury costings of Coalition policies.

The Age commentator said that Abbott's "unnecessary bellicosity has made him seem petulant as well as unnecessarily insulting".

A Newspoll, conducted following the "jetlag" remark, reported a 9 per cent drop in Abbott's rating. The two main parties are still level-pegging.