Re-Pete challenge tipped

Prime Minister plays down talk of fresh leadership challenge

PM Malcolm Turnbull defeated his exhome affairs minister 48 votes to 35 in a snap Liberal leadership ballot on Tuesday, but Peter Dutton (above) is working of a second tilt.

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed talk of losing support for the leadership, saying the “iron laws of arithmetic” had confirmed it.

Mr Turnbull defeated his ex-home affairs minister 48 votes to 35 in a snap Liberal leadership ballot on Tuesday, but Peter Dutton is now working the phones ahead of a second tilt.

Standing alongside Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Treasurer Scott Morrison in Canberra yesterday, Mr Turnbull declared the government would not take its big business tax cuts to the next election because of a lack of support in the Senate.

He also announced the retention of the energy supplement for pensioners and welfare recipients, which the government had wanted to repeal because it was compensation for the now-abolished carbon tax.

“We have to recognise in all of this the iron laws of arithmetic,” Mr Turnbull said.

Asked whether the numbers are going Mr Dutton’s way, the prime minister said he had won a ballot on Tuesday.

“The iron laws of arithmetic confirmed my leadership of the Liberal Party,” he said.

Mr Dutton is doing his own maths, telling Melbourne’s 3AW he was speaking to colleagues. “You don’t go into a ballot believing you’re going to lose and if I believe that a majority of colleagues support me, then I would consider my position,” Mr Dutton said.

Asked whether he anticipated another challenge, Mr Turnbull said: “No.”

Mr Morrison and Senator Cormann expressed confidence in the prime minister. “This is my leader and I’m ambitious for him,” Mr Morrison said, giving Mr Turnbull a hug.

“I support the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull,” added Senator Cormann. Mr Turnbull said his cabinet ministers who voted against him in the ballot had given him their “unequivocal support”.

Backers of Mr Dutton believe his support levels are quickly climbing. “Now that the genie is out of the bottle, I’m not sure we can put it back,” Liberal MP Craig Kelly told the ABC earlier.

Mr Dutton has started a campaign to reach out to voters, calling for a royal commission on fuel and energy prices, and said he would consider removing the GST on electricity for families and pensioners. Mr Morrison said it would cost $7.5 billion over four years.

So far Mr Turnbull has only accepted the resignations of Mr Dutton and International Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.

Labor leader Bill Shorten has asked that all major decisions by government be paused until the leadership question is resolved.