‘We are on your side’
Victorious Morrison tries to rally ‘battered and bruised’ Liberals
POINTING into the camera, Scott Morrison had one message for the public: “We are on your side.”
“There has been a lot of talk this week about whose side people are on in this building,” he said. “And what Josh (Frydenberg) and I are here to tell you, as the new generation of Liberal leadership, is that we are on your side. That’s what matters.”
Addressing the media for the first time since his party voted him into the top job yesterday, Mr Morrison acknowledged the Liberal Party had been “bruised and battered this week”, but said Australians were a “resilient bunch”.
Speaking of outgoing prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Mr Morrison said: “I have known Malcolm for a long time, as you know. He has been a dear friend. He has served his country in a noble and professional way.
“Josh and I have watched and worked with him as he has led our cabinets and the achievements we have been proud to serve with him as a government, whether it is in the economy, whether it is in all the other areas that Malcolm has outlined today at his earlier press conference.”
He also thanked Julie Bishop and Peter Dutton, noting that he “looks forward” to them playing a role in his government if they choose to.
Mr Morrison said, without elaborating, his immediate priority would be the drought.
He won the vote in the party room meeting 45 to 40 after days of tense meetings and
‘‘ WHAT JOSH AND I ARE HERE TO TELL YOU, AS THE NEW GENERATION OF LIBERAL LEADERSHIP, IS THAT WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE.
panicked phone calls among party members as the country watched its government fall into disarray.
Mr Morrison will become Australia’s sixth prime minister in 11 years.
His deputy leader will be Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, who won the role with an “overwhelming” vote.
A defeated Malcolm Turnbull stood down from the leadership following a vote of no confidence in his ability to lead the party to the next election after he called the long-awaited meeting to finalise the challenge for the top job that started on Tuesday.
Challenger Peter Dutton hoped he had the numbers to pull off the move he attempted to make earlier this week, gathering the 43 signatures he needed to force Mr Turnbull to call the meeting.
But those who signed the document sent their votes elsewhere in the secret ballot, with many who put their name to the paper understood to be supporters of Mr Turnbull.
Mr Morrison had pledged his support for Mr Turnbull all week.
Upon leaving the party room, Mr Dutton stopped to speak to waiting media and congratulate Mr Morrison.
“My course from here is to provide absolute loyalty to Scott Morrison to make sure we win the election,” he said.
Yesterday morning, Mr Dutton personally delivered the petition to Mr Turnbull, which prompted more stonewalling that delayed the calling of the meeting. Mr Turnbull tweeted that he had asked the party whips to verify all 43 signatures before calling the meeting.
Ms Bishop and Mr Morrison had spent the past 24 hours hitting the phones to gather the support needed to pip Mr Dutton at the finish line.
Former health minister Greg Hunt, who this week resigned from cabinet, said Mr Morrison and Mr Frydenberg were the next generation of leadership and two incredible people with extraordinary capability and credibility.
SCOTT MORRISON