Moving and lifting after top job shift

MALCOLM Turnbull has formally resigned his seat, as his successor Scott Morrison paid tribute to him as a prime minister who delivered some “very big things”.

Mr Turnbull, who first entered parliament in 2004, yesterday confirmed his resignation from the NSW seat of Wentworth in writing to Speaker Tony Smith.

“Malcolm has been a dear and close friend to me for a very long period of time and he has served his country well and grandly,” Mr Morrison told reporters in Jakarta yesterday.

“He’ll be well remembered, I believe, over time as a prime minister who delivered some very big things for Australia.”

Meanwhile, for removalists from Allied Pickfords, it is a well-trodden path — loading up the personal effects of yet another former prime minister from The Lodge in Canberra.

Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull yesterday received their personal items from The Lodge in Canberra at their eastern suburbs Sydney home. Mrs Turnbull oversaw the delivery of cardboard boxes — some marked by removalists with “Turnbull, Parliment (sic) House to Sydney”.

Since Kevin Rudd replaced long-staying PM John Howard in 2007, it has been a regular removalists’ job.

As the Turnbulls moved on, Mr Morrison was busy getting to work during his first inter- national visit as Prime Minister. He said Australia and Indonesia were doing more “heavy lifting” on their economic relationship to match their close security ties.

The new leader met Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta yesterday to conclude negotiations on a freetrade deal.

“It’s much more than a trade deal we’re talking about today. It’s not just a transaction, it’s a partnership,” Mr Morrison said.

Australia and Indonesia are two of the world’s 20 largest economies and close neighbours but neither is in each other’s top 10 trading partners.

“That is the part of the relationship where we need to do some more heavy lifting, the economic relationship,” Mr Morrison said. “We are not realising the full potential.”

The deal will free Indonesia’s university sector for Australian investors, allowing up to 67 per cent foreign ownership.