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| Liberal leadership: MPs coy ahead of crucial party room meeting – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Damian Drum made his views on Tony Abbott very clear this morning. | |
| “He vowed he wouldn’t be a wrecker and that is what he is being, and he needs to get out,” he said. | |
| Victorian MPs, even the Nats, aren’t overly enamoured of a Peter Dutton prime ministership, given what they think it would do to their own election chances. | |
| Except for Kevin Andrews of course. | |
| Things went very quiet last night and have then heated right back up again today. | |
| Outside of the die-hards, the two camps, at least from what I am hearing, appear to be split between: | |
| Let’s just see what happens, because the next election is lost anyway, and maybe this will give us a shot/save us from election annihilation a la Kevin Rudd in 2013 | |
| We can’t believe we are here and this is absolutely going to destroy us | |
| Peter Dutton’s margin is 1.6%, which means just under 4,000 voters need to change their vote for him to lose his seat. | |
| Christopher Pyne said he has spoken to Dutton and he has re-affirmed his support to Malcolm Turnbull. | |
| “Unless you have spoken to Peter Dutton directly, and I have, I think I have the better information,” Pyne told Sky. | |
| Because there is not enough on today, the company tax cut bill should meet its demise a little bit later on. | |
| Fairfax reported this morning Scott Morrison approached One Nation and offered to remove the banks from the company tax bill if it would bring them back to their side of the vote. One Nation said no. | |
| It does show how desperate the government is to chalk up a win though, given how much Morrison had rubbished the idea of quarantining the banks from the tax cuts policy previously. | |
| The hallways are ALIVE this morning. | |
| Josh Frydenberg just walked past the office following an interview with ABC radio, with the cameras flashing and the name “Tony Abbott” floating in the air. | |
| Asked about what would be happening in the party room meeting this morning, Frydenberg had this to say: | |
| “I strongly support Malcolm Turnbull and we do know that one thing history teaches us is that there’s a high transactional cost from changing leaders – Labor and we have seen that. | |
| “... I believe Malcolm Turnbull is the right person to lead us to the next election. He has helped deliver a million new jobs. He’s cut taxes for personal income tax and company tax. He’s delivered record defence spending and he continues to improve policies right across the board that are important to the wellbeing of the public.” | |
| No smile today, but a very serious phone conversation for Peter Dutton as he drove into work today. | No smile today, but a very serious phone conversation for Peter Dutton as he drove into work today. |
| Meanwhile, Julie Bishop arrived on foot | Meanwhile, Julie Bishop arrived on foot |
| The pressure is starting to get to Malcolm Turnbull’s supporters. Craig Laundy is the latest to let the exasperation into his voice during an interview. | The pressure is starting to get to Malcolm Turnbull’s supporters. Craig Laundy is the latest to let the exasperation into his voice during an interview. |
| On whether Tony Abbott should get out of politics: | On whether Tony Abbott should get out of politics: |
| It’s a decision for him. But my great hope is that, not just Tony but all colleagues, and my message is clear, that the more we are focusing on and navel-gazing, the more likely we are to be marked down by those in, not only my electorate but every electorate Australia-wide. That’s always been the case in politics and it hasn’t changed overnight. We need to come together, unite behind the prime minister and the new policy which we will see today in the party room which, for example, in my portfolio ... will reduce power bills. The adoption of the ACCC recommendations will reduce power bills for an average-size small and family business by $1,500 a year – that’s $1,500 that that business can have and reinvest back in to grow and employ more people, which is exactly what’s been happening over the past four and a half years under a Coalition government. | |
| And on Turnbull’s achievements (and here is where he really let the pressure show): | |
| My message is clearly aimed at everyone in our party that those electors, if we don’t stop navel-gazing and focus on the message of the Turnbull government which are vast – personal income tax reductions, company income tax reductions, record jobs growth, childcare reform, education reform – you know, these are all major reforms that are being done in a hostile Senate environment. They are the things we need to be out there prosecuting the case. If we are fighting amongst ourselves, guess what, when the voters go to the election, they’ll mark us down as they should, because they want us to know that we should be concentrating on the things that are important to them. And that’s definitely what I’ve been trying to do with the prime minister. Are there people that at the moment are disgruntled and think that we should be heading one way or another. There is always a team 85-strong, I would argue, of people that won’t see eye-to-eye with you. | |
| Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has been on Radio National. | Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has been on Radio National. |
| He was asked about the failure of Josh Frydenberg’s national energy guarantee, and Malcolm Turnbull’s capitulation to conservatives in the Coalition. | He was asked about the failure of Josh Frydenberg’s national energy guarantee, and Malcolm Turnbull’s capitulation to conservatives in the Coalition. |
| Bowen’s points: | Bowen’s points: |
| Turnbull has, “in a terrible abrogation of leadership”, given every backbencher the power of veto over government policy. | Turnbull has, “in a terrible abrogation of leadership”, given every backbencher the power of veto over government policy. |
| Labor has been willing to support the Neg, the Emissions Intensity Scheme, and the Clean Energy Target, but Turnbull “hasn’t been able to deliver his own party”. | Labor has been willing to support the Neg, the Emissions Intensity Scheme, and the Clean Energy Target, but Turnbull “hasn’t been able to deliver his own party”. |
| Labor hasn’t seen the Neg legislation, and even if it did, the legislation could change within hours given the febrile state of the Coalition party room. | Labor hasn’t seen the Neg legislation, and even if it did, the legislation could change within hours given the febrile state of the Coalition party room. |
| On the government’s proposal to consider using divestiture powers to force the sale of electricity assets, he said that type of act would need to be thought-through very carefully. “For the prime minister just to trot out, you know, at a press conference, and say ‘here we go, here’s my latest thought bubble,’ is not really how good policy is designed.” | On the government’s proposal to consider using divestiture powers to force the sale of electricity assets, he said that type of act would need to be thought-through very carefully. “For the prime minister just to trot out, you know, at a press conference, and say ‘here we go, here’s my latest thought bubble,’ is not really how good policy is designed.” |
| Just a reminder that the National party MPs don’t get a vote. The leader of the Liberal party is a matter for those who sit in that party room. Which means that Kevin Andrews and Eric Abetz get a vote, but George Christensen and Keith Pitt do not. | Just a reminder that the National party MPs don’t get a vote. The leader of the Liberal party is a matter for those who sit in that party room. Which means that Kevin Andrews and Eric Abetz get a vote, but George Christensen and Keith Pitt do not. |
| Meanwhile, in the land of speculation, potential ministerial positions are being sussed out: | Meanwhile, in the land of speculation, potential ministerial positions are being sussed out: |
| "The conservative forces mounting Mr Dutton’s campaign to become Prime Minister have also drawn up a plan to return Tony Abbott to Cabinet in a prestigious portfolio like Home Affairs or Defence." https://t.co/jSgqpbr5kV https://t.co/jHstddI3CL | "The conservative forces mounting Mr Dutton’s campaign to become Prime Minister have also drawn up a plan to return Tony Abbott to Cabinet in a prestigious portfolio like Home Affairs or Defence." https://t.co/jSgqpbr5kV https://t.co/jHstddI3CL |
| As we mentioned, Tony Abbott chose to come past the cameras again this morning. | As we mentioned, Tony Abbott chose to come past the cameras again this morning. |
| He had “nothing to say”. | He had “nothing to say”. |
| His former deputy Barnaby Joyce was asked if Abbott should “shut up” and Joyce had this to say: | His former deputy Barnaby Joyce was asked if Abbott should “shut up” and Joyce had this to say: |
| “That’s a question for Tony. Yesterday, my belief was that we had a very good outcome with something that we were fighting for in the National party for so long. Getting a proper contract price. Making sure that we get some baseload power built. That’s what this is about and I would like to see that happen,” he said. | “That’s a question for Tony. Yesterday, my belief was that we had a very good outcome with something that we were fighting for in the National party for so long. Getting a proper contract price. Making sure that we get some baseload power built. That’s what this is about and I would like to see that happen,” he said. |
| As for what was happening in the Liberal party , Joyce said he had no idea. | As for what was happening in the Liberal party , Joyce said he had no idea. |
| “It’s like asking me what’s happening in ... I don’t know, the parliament in New Zealand today. I’ve got no idea. Most of the time, I’m struggling to work out my own party room and working out the Liberal party room is even more difficult.” | “It’s like asking me what’s happening in ... I don’t know, the parliament in New Zealand today. I’ve got no idea. Most of the time, I’m struggling to work out my own party room and working out the Liberal party room is even more difficult.” |
| Our secret squirrels have been out and about and looking at the committee room bookings ... and a certain Peter Dutton has booked the infamous monkey pod room for straight after question time again. | Our secret squirrels have been out and about and looking at the committee room bookings ... and a certain Peter Dutton has booked the infamous monkey pod room for straight after question time again. |
| You may remember that when Malcolm Turnbull challenged Tony Abbott in September 2015, he did it straight after qt. A booking means nothing - a lot of MPs have standard committee room bookings in their name - but it is worth noting, because, well, it is not exactly a calm environment we are existing in here at the moment. | You may remember that when Malcolm Turnbull challenged Tony Abbott in September 2015, he did it straight after qt. A booking means nothing - a lot of MPs have standard committee room bookings in their name - but it is worth noting, because, well, it is not exactly a calm environment we are existing in here at the moment. |
| After a day of speculation we have woken to a dawn of new speculation. | After a day of speculation we have woken to a dawn of new speculation. |
| It’s not, not on. | It’s not, not on. |
| The Liberal party room meeting is at 9am AEST. Malcolm Turnbull’s loyalists have been out in force this morning urging unity and calm and to focus on the job, while the conservatives have said ... nothing. | The Liberal party room meeting is at 9am AEST. Malcolm Turnbull’s loyalists have been out in force this morning urging unity and calm and to focus on the job, while the conservatives have said ... nothing. |
| But Tony Abbott said that nothing with a giant smile on his face, while reminding us all that there was a party room meeting today. | But Tony Abbott said that nothing with a giant smile on his face, while reminding us all that there was a party room meeting today. |
| Peter Dutton has told his colleagues he supports the prime minister. But he hasn’t done anything to quell the speculation swirling around his potential tilt. | Peter Dutton has told his colleagues he supports the prime minister. But he hasn’t done anything to quell the speculation swirling around his potential tilt. |
| Basically, this whole thing could turn on a dime. | Basically, this whole thing could turn on a dime. |
| So let’s get into it. Mike Bowers is off special assignment and back in the hallways. Follow him at @mikepbowers and @mpbowers. You can find me in the comments, or at @amyremeikis. | So let’s get into it. Mike Bowers is off special assignment and back in the hallways. Follow him at @mikepbowers and @mpbowers. You can find me in the comments, or at @amyremeikis. |
| I hope everyone has had their Weeties. Ready? | I hope everyone has had their Weeties. Ready? |
| Let’s get into it | Let’s get into it |