Australian PM warns against government "infighting"

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has used a landmark address to the National Press Club (NPC) on Monday to warn his Coalition government against "infighting".

Speaking in front of the NPC for the first time since taking office in September 2013, Abbott was defiant in defending his government and issued a subtle message in an attempt to end speculation regarding his future.

Following more lamentable polling results and the likelihood that yet another Coalition government will be toppled at state level following elections in Queensland over the weekend, rumors have continued to mount regarding Abbott's position.

As potential challengers within the Coalition government continue to be speculated, Abbott told the NPC that Australians deserved better than to have their prime minister's future rife with rumors of unrest. "Leadership is about making the right decisions for our country' s future," Abbott said. "It isn't a popularity contest. It's about results, it's about determination and it's about you." "Australia deserves the stable government that you elected us to be just 16 months ago. You deserve budget repair, no returns of the carbon tax, no restart of people smuggling and no infighting."

Abbott also used the opportunity to announce a tax cut for small businesses across the country, beginning in July of this year.

Although Abbott didn't give specific details regarding the cuts, it is believed it will be as much as the 1.5 percent that has already been suggested by the government. "Every big business started off as a small business," Abbott said. "The new industries of tomorrow are likely to be started by the small businesses of today." "The best antidote to sunset industries is sunrise ones and these are most likely to emerge from an enterprising small business. "At the heart of our small business jobs package will be a small business company tax cut on July 1, at least as big as the 1.5 percent already flagged." "More jobs and better paid workers will only come from more profitable employers in a better position to employ people."

Abbott also confirmed that his "signature" Paid Parental Leave scheme would be dumped in the wake of budget pressure. "Before Christmas, I said that over the break I'd be better targeting the proposed Paid Parental Leave scheme and scaling it back, in a families package focused on childcare," Abbott said. "I admire stay-at-home mums, as (my wife) Margie was when our children were very young, but support better paid parental leave to maximum young people's, like my daughters', choice to have a career and to have a family too." "I accept, though, that what's desirable is not always doable, especially when times are tough and budgets are tight. "As the Productivity Commission has said, and as mums and dads around Australia have reminded me, the focus really does have to be on childcare if we want higher participation and a stronger economy." "So a bigger parental leave scheme is off the table." Endi