Turnbull set to quit parliament this week

SYDNEY: Dumped prime minister Malcolm Turnbull will quit parliament this week, reports said yesterday, in another headache for Australia’s rattled government which will temporarily lose its tiny one-seat majority.

The moderate was deposed in a Liberal party coup last week driven by a hardline conservative faction.

After being knifed, he indicated he would leave parliament rather than go to the backbench and told a party gathering on Monday he will officially resign on Friday, ABC and Fairfax Media reported.

His departure will trigger a by-election for his Sydney seat, potentially on Oct 6, leaving new Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a precarious position with no parliamentary majority for two weeks.

Turnbull’s seat in the wealthy Sydney enclave of Wentworth is traditionally a Liberal safe haven, although a backlash against the government’s political infighting could make this less certain.

“As you know, my prime ministership has come to an end. The circumstances have appalled most Australians but again, I won’t labour the point,” he told the Monday meeting, Fairfax reported.

“I have a strong view which I’ve made very clear publicly so it comes as no surprise, that former prime ministers are best out of parliament not in it, and I think recent events best underline the value of that observation. And so, accordingly, on Friday, I will resign.”

Christine Forster – the sister of archconservative Tony Abbott, who helped orchestrate Turnbull’s demise – has already put her hand up to replace Turnbull in the plum seat.

Forster, who is gay and was a highprofile proponent of same-sex marriage in a successful campaign last year, is a wellknown Liberal councillor in Sydney.

Others reportedly in the running include businessman Dave Sharma, while the Greens and Labor will almost certainly field candidates. – AFP