’IT’S MADNESS’
Who will be the next Prime Minister of Australia?
MALCOLM Turnbull, who described the Liberal leadership crisis “as a form of madness”, has signalled standing aside today with a showdown between Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison and Julia Bishop looming this afternoon.
Leichhardt Federal MP Warren Entsch says this week’s events have been “bloody insane” and is calling for former prime minister Tony Abbott to also quit parliament with Mr Turnbull (right) to avoid “more sniping from the sidelines”.
AUSTRALIA’S 30th prime minister will likely emerge today from the ruins of a Coalition Government preparing to overthrow its second leader in just five years.
Malcolm Turnbull is poised to be forced out at noon today by a bitterly divided Liberal party room, which will choose between former home affairs minister Peter Dutton, Treasurer Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Each was frantically lobbying for votes last night, with Turnbull loyalists Mr Morrison and Ms Bishop late entrants into the race after it became clear the PM had lost support from key Cabinet allies.
Mr Dutton’s supporters, who have been plotting since late last year to overthrow Mr Turnbull – who will quit parliament if there is a leadership spill – were believed to be close to gaining the 43 signatures required to demand the Prime Minister bring on a leadership ballot.
The high noon showdown is threatening to be as bitter as the past week, with conservative MPs – who claim the current leadership has turned the party into “Labor light” – threatening to tear down Mr Morrison and Ms Bishop.
Sources said the three-way contest was “incredibly tight”, with Mr Morrison gaining on Mr Dutton despite the Queenslander’s head start.
Ms Bishop’s partner, David Panton, said at a fashion event in Sydney last night she was in the box seat to win.
“You heard it straight from the horse’s mouth – by tomorrow at lunch time Julie Bishop will definitely be prime minister,” he said.
MPs said she was gaining votes “at full steam” while Mr Morrison had strong support from the influential NSW moderate faction.
Federal Parliament ground to a halt yesterday as the Liberal Party suspended the House of Representatives until September 10.
The dramatic move to close the chamber down more than 24 hours before it was due to rise came after Mr Turnbull was dealt a fatal blow when senior frontbenchers Mathias Cormann, Michaelia Cash and Mitch Fifield resigned.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten labelled the move the “final admission” the Coalition government had “lost the will to live”.
“There are issues in this country which everyday Australians expect the government to answer, and the government, not only is it paralysed by infighting, it is now not even going to bother having the Parliament meeting at all,” Mr Shorten said.
“This is the ultimate admission of surrender, of a bankrupt government, of a failed government.”
Labor MPs and staffers then huddled outside the chamber to hear unofficial valedictory speeches from retiring MPs, amid widespread speculation parliament will not resume before an election.
Mr Dutton flagged early yesterday morning he was up for a second challenge in three days.
“I wouldn’t have contacted the Prime Minister if I didn’t believe we had a majority of support,” he said.
Mr Turnbull – who attempted to stare down his challengers by refusing a party room ballot – said Australians would not approve of his removal. By insisting on seeing a petition signed by a majority of the Liberal party room, Mr Turnbull was calling on all of his colleagues to put their name to the challenge.
“These are momentous times and it’s important that people are accountable for what they’re doing,” he said.