Australian PM Tony Abbott labelled 'most incompetent' Western leader by US think tank expert

Criticism comes as prime minister is condemned for ‘holocaust’ remarks in parliament and a dive in Mr Abbott's poll ratings

Tony Abbott says he is chastened by the experience (AFP)

An expert at the internationally respected US think-tank has labelled Tony Abbott the most “incompetent leader in any industrialised democracy,” as the Australian Prime Minister provoked criticism over his latest remarks.

Speaking during the Australian parliament’s question time, Mr Abbott accused the opposition Labour party of causing a “holocaust of job” losses.

He immediately withdrew his comment in parliament, but the damage had already been done, and many opponents eagerly picked up on the latest gaffe.

Mr Abbott’s many gaffes are among the numerable issues a senior researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations lists against the current Australian leader in the post titled: ‘Tony Abbott Has To Go’.

Encouraging Mr Abbott’s party to unseat him – a motion that the leader narrowly defeated on Monday – Joshua Kurlantzick says: “Abbott has proven so incapable of clear policy thinking, so unwilling to consult with even his own ministers and advisers, and so poor at communicating that he has to go.”

Mr Kurlantzick, who is a specialist in South-east Asian politics, claims that “Abbott’s policies have been all over the map,” and that the PM often seems “ill-informed and incapable of understanding complex policy issues".

The senior fellow also claims Mr Abbott “embarrassed” Australia with his “coarse rhetoric” during a recent major economic summit.

“He seems to lack a grasp of how to deal with his own supporters,” he told Sydney Morning Herald. He added that Mr Abbott often appeared “unaware of how badly he comes off.”

Mr Abbott has the worst poll ratings for any Australian leader since 1994. His decision to award Prince Philip an honorary knighthood saw with his leadership plunge to a record low of 24 per cent, with 68 per cent of the population dissatisfied, The Australian reported.