article_snippet: Mr Higginson, who urged his Liberal colleague to 'negotiate the removal' of PM's chief of staff, sent the messages during a dispute over annual accounts with Ms Credlin's husband and the federal Liberal Party federal director, Brian Loughnane.
article_snippet: Liberal sources believe a dispute over annual accounts with Ms Credlin's husband and Liberal Party federal director, Brian Loughnane was involved in the Prime Minister's leadership crisis this year.
article_snippet: considered a good friend of Prime Minister Tony Abbott when Mr Higginson sent the text messages late last year urging for the chief of staff to be dumped .
article_snippet: wrote that 'how the Liberal Party ever let a husband and wife team into those roles' was beyond Mr Higginson, and that 'how this party ever let a husband and wife team into those roles' was beyond him, and that their relationship was causing dysfunction and 'wooden and unreliable communication' relationship was causing dysfunction and 'wooden and unreliable communication'.
article_snippet: Prime Minister Tony Abbott pointed out that Mr Loughnane has been the federal director for 12 years and Ms Credlin has occupied a series of senior positions for various ministers and party leaders. '
article_snippet: Mr Higginson sent the messages during a dispute over annual accounts with Ms Credlin husband and Liberal Party federal director, Brian Loughnane (pictured)
article_snippet: Ms Credlin Ms Credlin has been credited by disgruntled coalition backbenchers, 39 of whom voted for a spill in February, as one of the problems with Prime Minister Tony Abbott leadership.
highlights_snippet: Liberal party treasurer urged Liberal colleague to negotiate removal of PM's chief of staff .
  
highlights_snippet: Messages were sent during spat over accounts with Ms Credlin's husband and Liberal Party federal director, Brian Loughnane .