Bishop back in the game

JULIE Bishop has left open the option of contesting her seat and making another bid for the Liberal leadership.

The former foreign minister, who was expected to resign at the election, will stay on in her WA seat of Curtin, saying: “I have the overwhelming support of my constituents”.

Ms Bishop was knocked out in the first round of the threeway leadership tussle with Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton after receiving only 11 votes.

But she said the Liberal Party would one day have a popular female leader.

“Well, when we find one, I’m sure we will,” she said.

She said she had been forced to make rushed decisions during the leadership turmoil and pointedly refused to rule out another tilt at the top job in the future.