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Abbott And Turnbull Told 'To Be Adults' By Liberal Party President

The Prime Minister of Australia and the former-Prime Minister have been told to stop bickering.

Ongoing disunity between Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull could cost the Coalition the next election according to new Federal Liberal Party President, Nick Greiner.

Greiner has warned the dispute between the current Prime Minister and former Prime Minister might cause voters to question the party's unity.

The party president told Sky News on Sunday he plans to talk with Abbott to encourage him to settle the growing divide between the pair -- particularly in regards to the Turnbull government's policy direction.

"They need to resolve it face-to-face and they need to resolve it directly, not through intermediaries -- I think we have got to be adults about it," Greiner said.

"If it isn't resolved, if we are not able to present a compelling, unified face to the Australian public, we won't win the election in two years' time."

In recent weeks, the former PM has spoken out about plans for an alternative policy vision to "make Australia work again", igniting tension within the party.

Despite plans to speak with Abbott, Greiner said he understands the former Liberal Party leader's dissension.

"I think everyone understands a Prime Minister who loses his position in the way it happened [to Abbott] has all sorts of human emotions and has responded in a particular way which is very open and public," he said.

Greiner has also warned the ongoing dispute has contributed to consistent poor polling for the Turnbull Government.

A party divided.
Getty
A party divided.

Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop agree the in-party issues will sway voters to nominate other parties including the Labor party or Pauline Hanson's One Nation.

"We are getting on with some very significant reforms," Bishop told the ABC. "That's what we should be focusing on.

"All it is doing is driving people to Bill Shorten, in fact."

Bishop said she could not understand why people from the same side of politics would criticise the government's performance.

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