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| Kevin Andrews is prepared to challenge Turnbull for prime ministership | Kevin Andrews is prepared to challenge Turnbull for prime ministership |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Dumped former minister Kevin Andrews has announced he is prepared to challenge Malcolm Turnbull for the prime ministership under the right circumstances. | Dumped former minister Kevin Andrews has announced he is prepared to challenge Malcolm Turnbull for the prime ministership under the right circumstances. |
| Andrews was dropped from the frontbench entirely after Turnbull took the leadership in September. | Andrews was dropped from the frontbench entirely after Turnbull took the leadership in September. |
| He told News Corp Australia that he did not have a “burning ambition” to be leader, but would be prepared to put his hand up for the job “if circumstances arose”. | He told News Corp Australia that he did not have a “burning ambition” to be leader, but would be prepared to put his hand up for the job “if circumstances arose”. |
| Related: Kevin Andrews tried to appoint adviser to defence job in days after leadership coup | Related: Kevin Andrews tried to appoint adviser to defence job in days after leadership coup |
| Andrews has had a tilt at the party leadership in the past, challenging Turnbull when he was opposition leader in 2009 over his proposed emissions trading scheme. That challenge was shot down 41 votes to 35. | Andrews has had a tilt at the party leadership in the past, challenging Turnbull when he was opposition leader in 2009 over his proposed emissions trading scheme. That challenge was shot down 41 votes to 35. |
| Andrews also challenged Julie Bishop for the position of deputy Liberal leader after the successful leadership spill in September that unseated Tony Abbott, to whom Andrews was loyal. That challenge also failed, with Andrews garnering just 30 votes to Bishop’s 70. | |
| Andrews fashioned himself as a leader of the conservative side of politics in the newspaper interview. | Andrews fashioned himself as a leader of the conservative side of politics in the newspaper interview. |
| “But I see that leadership as a kind of intellectual leadership,” he said. “My view about politics is that if you get the policies right the politics will follow.” | “But I see that leadership as a kind of intellectual leadership,” he said. “My view about politics is that if you get the policies right the politics will follow.” |
| He has vowed not to vote in support of changing the Marriage Act, even if the results of a plebiscite find overwhelmingly in favour of allowing same-sex unions. | He has vowed not to vote in support of changing the Marriage Act, even if the results of a plebiscite find overwhelmingly in favour of allowing same-sex unions. |
| “In the end, a plebiscite is an indication of what people think, but for me this would be one of those matters of conscience,” Andrews said. | “In the end, a plebiscite is an indication of what people think, but for me this would be one of those matters of conscience,” Andrews said. |
| In 2014, Andrews was due to deliver the opening address at a conference for ultra-conservative group World Congress of Families, who are against divorce and LGBTI rights. Social services minister at the time of the conference, he pulled out the day before. | In 2014, Andrews was due to deliver the opening address at a conference for ultra-conservative group World Congress of Families, who are against divorce and LGBTI rights. Social services minister at the time of the conference, he pulled out the day before. |
| The congress named Andrews “natural family man of the year” for his advocation of the “natural” family, which comprises both a mother and father. | The congress named Andrews “natural family man of the year” for his advocation of the “natural” family, which comprises both a mother and father. |
| Shortly after the conference, Andrews lamented Australia’s high divorce rate and reiterated his claim that children from single-parent families fare worse than those who grow up in a traditional two-parent setting. | Shortly after the conference, Andrews lamented Australia’s high divorce rate and reiterated his claim that children from single-parent families fare worse than those who grow up in a traditional two-parent setting. |
| On Monday, Andrews admitted that he always wanted the social services portfolio because the issues it covered were the same that brought him into parliament in the first place. | On Monday, Andrews admitted that he always wanted the social services portfolio because the issues it covered were the same that brought him into parliament in the first place. |
| “I suppose what motivated me to get into politics, in terms of issues, was around family-related issues – welfare, taxation for families, all of those sorts of things,” he said. “I had social services for about 15 months before Tony [Abbott] asked me to change. | “I suppose what motivated me to get into politics, in terms of issues, was around family-related issues – welfare, taxation for families, all of those sorts of things,” he said. “I had social services for about 15 months before Tony [Abbott] asked me to change. |
| “That was the portfolio I enjoyed the most and, frankly, it was a little bit frustrating to only spend 15 months in it and have to go to another portfolio.” | “That was the portfolio I enjoyed the most and, frankly, it was a little bit frustrating to only spend 15 months in it and have to go to another portfolio.” |
| Andrews was moved to the defence portfolio in December 2014, where he advocated for Australia to send ground troops to Syria. Last month it was revealed that Andrews tried to appoint one of his long-term advisors to a key defence role in the week between Turnbull taking the leadership and announcing his new ministry. | Andrews was moved to the defence portfolio in December 2014, where he advocated for Australia to send ground troops to Syria. Last month it was revealed that Andrews tried to appoint one of his long-term advisors to a key defence role in the week between Turnbull taking the leadership and announcing his new ministry. |
| Andrews, a staunch Abbott supporter, lost his position in the frontbench in the ensuing reshuffle. | Andrews, a staunch Abbott supporter, lost his position in the frontbench in the ensuing reshuffle. |
| Labor reacted to Andrews’ leadership announcement with surprise. Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek told reporters she was unsure if the announcement was satire. | Labor reacted to Andrews’ leadership announcement with surprise. Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek told reporters she was unsure if the announcement was satire. |
| “I wasn’t sure whether it was a Chaser segment,” she said, referring to the ABC’s satirical comedy show. | “I wasn’t sure whether it was a Chaser segment,” she said, referring to the ABC’s satirical comedy show. |
| She said the government should be focussing on “real” issues ahead of the upcoming federal budget. | She said the government should be focussing on “real” issues ahead of the upcoming federal budget. |
| “We see Tony Abbott haunting the government and now this new threat from Kevin Andrews. I wish these people would focus on their day jobs,” Plibersek said. | “We see Tony Abbott haunting the government and now this new threat from Kevin Andrews. I wish these people would focus on their day jobs,” Plibersek said. |