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| Dutton says he would challenge Turnbull again if he had support – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Our intrepid photographer, Mike Bowers, is out and about, prowling the corridors to bring us juicy gossip. He tells me that Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is the only Coalition senator to have shifted seats for prayers in the upper house this morning. She’s on the backbench next to Steve Martin. | |
| One of the mysteries of the morning is who might joint Darren Chester on the crossbench in the event the Dutton truck rolls into the PMO. I wondered whether one might be fellow Victorian Andrew Broad. | |
| Not so, he says. “I will not leave the country without a prime minister,” Broad told me this morning. “Longterm stability is very important, and we have not been well placed for stability for some time.” On the stability point, Broad says the leader of the party is a matter for the Liberals. But he says stability would demand the government stick with the current prime minister. | |
| There’s also a homily for colleagues, which he delivers in a spirit of resignation. “It is still possible to deliver good government under Turnbull, but that will require people to show a degree of professionalism.” | |
| Should Darren pull his head in? “I will not tell a colleague what they should do. If they told me what to do, I’d tell them to shove it”. | |
| Well, those admissions from Dutton have been met with immediate anger from Turnbull backers. Craig Laundy, MP for Reid, tells Sky News Dutton is not respecting the result of Tuesday’s ballot. | |
| I’m disappointed to hear that. However, what I am pleased to hear is that the PM has worked constructively overnight with cabinet colleagues who weren’t supportive of him in yesterday’s leadership vote and they’ve agreed to stay on and work with the PM in a spirit of unification and come together to focus on ... the real opponent here, which is Bill Shorten. | |
| Dutton is continuing to ride the airwaves this morning. He’s just conceded to 3Aw’s Neil Mitchell that “of course” he’s working the phones to bolster support ahead of a second tilt at the leadership. | |
| It’s pretty obvious stuff. But it’s a stark change from his position on Tuesday, in which he was much more circumspect and said he respected the result of the first spill. | |
| Dutton: | |
| You don’t go into a ballot believing you can lose. If I believed that a majority of colleagues support me then I would consider my position. That is being very up front and honest with you. | |
| Mitchell: | |
| Are you working the phones? | |
| Dutton: | |
| Of course I am, I’m speaking to colleagues. Again I am not going to beat around the bush with that mate. | |
| Dutton continues to pitch himself as an alternative leader. He talks of his life from a working class family and his career as a cop. He says he’s maybe even more of your “average Australian” than Bill Shorten. | |
| The three words that describe him? Well, after some early difficulties, he comes up with “very hard worker”. | |
| He’s asked about his controversial comments that Victorians were scared to go out for dinner because of African gangs. | |
| I don’t seek to overstate it. I didn’t say every Victorian, I said some. | |
| And then: | |
| I’m never going to be the favourite of Fairfax Media or the Guardian, wherever it may be, GetUp. But frankly I couldn’t care less. | |
| Opposition leader Bill Shorten spoke of the government’s woes a little earlier. He said: | |
| If they can’t govern, they should let the Australian people choose. | |
| Labor frontbencher Jason Clare told Sky News the opposition is ready for an election. | |
| We’ve been ready for a long time. I think the Australian people are ready to put this bad government out of its misery. The sooner they have the chance to do that the better. | |
| Clare serves up a rather tortured movie reference. | |
| [Turnbull’s] like Bruce Willis from the sixth sense. He’s dead, he just doesn’t know it yet. | |
| One of the critical problems for Dutton is his lack of name recognition. Politically engaged Australians know Dutton well. But conventional thought is that he’s a relative stranger to the broader public. | |
| Our Queensland correspondent, Ben Smee, got access to preliminary reports from five separate focus groups of voters in Dutton’s electorate of Dickson. It doesn’t make great reading for the Dutton camp. It shows he remains an unknown quantity, even in Dickson. Immigration does not rate as a major concern among the focus groups. | |
| It’s worth noting the research was commissioned by left-leaning GetUp. Our reporter also spoke to people on the ground in Dickson. One man, David Stirling, had this to say of the prospective leader: | |
| Peter Dutton? I don’t know him very much. I see him on TV talking about immigrants, which is the old shell game: watch the people we’ve stopped coming in and let them all through the front door at the same time. | |
| I think outside Queensland not too many people know him either. | |
| Turnbull is hopeless and Dutton, I don’t know him well enough to say what he’s like, but I don’t think he’s up to scratch much. | |
| This all helps to explain why Dutton is out and about talking up his “smile” and his “softer side”. It helps to learn AC/DC songs, though, Dutton. | |
| While Chester is hinting that he and others could move to the crossbench, others were urging the Nationals to stay out of the quagmire. | While Chester is hinting that he and others could move to the crossbench, others were urging the Nationals to stay out of the quagmire. |
| Barnaby Joyce said this morning: | Barnaby Joyce said this morning: |
| It’s not our fight, it’s the Liberal party’s fight. I’m sure they’ll resolve it and then we can move on ... I can’t talk for another party, right. I just can’t. | It’s not our fight, it’s the Liberal party’s fight. I’m sure they’ll resolve it and then we can move on ... I can’t talk for another party, right. I just can’t. |
| Keith Pitt, Nationals MP for Hinkler, took a similar line: | Keith Pitt, Nationals MP for Hinkler, took a similar line: |
| The leadership of the Liberal party is entirely a matter for them. | The leadership of the Liberal party is entirely a matter for them. |
| It’s worth a look at the crossbench in the lower house. It’s conceivable, after a few twists and turns, that they could lead Australia to an early election. My colleague Katharine Murphy reported this morning that Rebekha Sharkie and Cathy McGowan are refusing to say whether they would guarantee supply and confidence for a Dutton government. | It’s worth a look at the crossbench in the lower house. It’s conceivable, after a few twists and turns, that they could lead Australia to an early election. My colleague Katharine Murphy reported this morning that Rebekha Sharkie and Cathy McGowan are refusing to say whether they would guarantee supply and confidence for a Dutton government. |
| That could come into play if Dutton wins a spill but the government loses a single member from the lower house. | That could come into play if Dutton wins a spill but the government loses a single member from the lower house. |
| That could conceivably occur if Darren Chester, the Nationals MP, moves to the crossbench, as he has intimated. It could also happen if Turnbull resigns and triggers a byelection. | That could conceivably occur if Darren Chester, the Nationals MP, moves to the crossbench, as he has intimated. It could also happen if Turnbull resigns and triggers a byelection. |
| Losing Sharkie and McGowan’s backing would leave the government exposed to a no-confidence motion, and we’d all be back down to the local primary school, eating snags, and angrily stuffing our ballots into boxes. Joy. | Losing Sharkie and McGowan’s backing would leave the government exposed to a no-confidence motion, and we’d all be back down to the local primary school, eating snags, and angrily stuffing our ballots into boxes. Joy. |
| We are getting slightly ahead of ourselves. But it’s a live option and ought be considered. | We are getting slightly ahead of ourselves. But it’s a live option and ought be considered. |
| The others on the crossbench have alreay made their views clear. The Greens MP Adam Bandt said he would not support Dutton. The Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie has not offered confidence and supply to Turnbull and wouldn’t promise his successor anything, either. | The others on the crossbench have alreay made their views clear. The Greens MP Adam Bandt said he would not support Dutton. The Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie has not offered confidence and supply to Turnbull and wouldn’t promise his successor anything, either. |
| Both voted with Labor in a no-confidence motion on Tuesday. | Both voted with Labor in a no-confidence motion on Tuesday. |
| Peter Dutton is the chief organiser of the torture of children.You’ve probably already worked this out, but there is no way I would offer him confidence & supply.It’s time for the people to turf this rotten gov out, especially if it’s led by a human rights abuser.#Greens | Peter Dutton is the chief organiser of the torture of children.You’ve probably already worked this out, but there is no way I would offer him confidence & supply.It’s time for the people to turf this rotten gov out, especially if it’s led by a human rights abuser.#Greens |
| Murphy has explained this in more detail here. | Murphy has explained this in more detail here. |
| Peter Dutton has already made migration a central issue to his leadership, were he to successfully challenge. | Peter Dutton has already made migration a central issue to his leadership, were he to successfully challenge. |
| Just to add some spice to that, Tony Abbott is planning a speech on migration to the Centre for Independent Studies on Monday. The spiel for the speech reads pretty much as you’d expect it to. We’re not racist, but: | Just to add some spice to that, Tony Abbott is planning a speech on migration to the Centre for Independent Studies on Monday. The spiel for the speech reads pretty much as you’d expect it to. We’re not racist, but: |
| The overwhelming consensus is that immigration has been one of the pillars of Australia’s economic prosperity. It has also led to our nation’s cultural richness: half of us were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was born abroad. | The overwhelming consensus is that immigration has been one of the pillars of Australia’s economic prosperity. It has also led to our nation’s cultural richness: half of us were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was born abroad. |
| However, we should be able to debate the level and composition of the increasingly controversial annual 190,000 intake without being accused of racism or bigotry. | However, we should be able to debate the level and composition of the increasingly controversial annual 190,000 intake without being accused of racism or bigotry. |
| The Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester has warned that any potential challenger to Turnbull’s leadership – that is, Peter Dutton – should not assume that everyone in the Coalition will simply fall into line behind them. | The Victorian Nationals MP Darren Chester has warned that any potential challenger to Turnbull’s leadership – that is, Peter Dutton – should not assume that everyone in the Coalition will simply fall into line behind them. |
| He didn’t say so in so many words, but it’s a veiled threat that he and some of his Nationals colleagues could join the crossbench if Dutton becomes PM. | He didn’t say so in so many words, but it’s a veiled threat that he and some of his Nationals colleagues could join the crossbench if Dutton becomes PM. |
| Here are some quotes from an ABC interview this morning: | Here are some quotes from an ABC interview this morning: |
| I had many conversations yesterday, and certainly a cohort of my colleagues who are worried about what direction this is taking and they’re serving their options and all options are on the table. | I had many conversations yesterday, and certainly a cohort of my colleagues who are worried about what direction this is taking and they’re serving their options and all options are on the table. |
| The point that I made yesterday in a media interview is that there’s no reason why any potential challenger, whoever that may be, should assume that they can command numbers on the floor of the house of representatives, given we have a one-seat majority. Sorry it’s not a straight answer but all offers on the table in a volatile environment. | The point that I made yesterday in a media interview is that there’s no reason why any potential challenger, whoever that may be, should assume that they can command numbers on the floor of the house of representatives, given we have a one-seat majority. Sorry it’s not a straight answer but all offers on the table in a volatile environment. |
| My strong desire is for everyone to calm down. | My strong desire is for everyone to calm down. |
| There was a vote held yesterday and the prime minister won that vote. The Australian people expect prime ministers to finish their terms. I know that that hasn’t happened much in the last 10 years, but I think that the Australian people expect us to do the job we’ve been sent here to do to focus on them and not to focus on each other. | There was a vote held yesterday and the prime minister won that vote. The Australian people expect prime ministers to finish their terms. I know that that hasn’t happened much in the last 10 years, but I think that the Australian people expect us to do the job we’ve been sent here to do to focus on them and not to focus on each other. |
| Let the prime minister finish his term and the Australian people will cast their judgment on us, as a government, in May next year. | Let the prime minister finish his term and the Australian people will cast their judgment on us, as a government, in May next year. |
| Foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop has been out and about this morning, speaking to ABC and Sky News. She is pleading with her colleagues to unite behind Turnbull and says she does not accept that a second spill is inevitable. | Foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop has been out and about this morning, speaking to ABC and Sky News. She is pleading with her colleagues to unite behind Turnbull and says she does not accept that a second spill is inevitable. |
| She also hints that the prime minister has been successful in convincing a number of frontbenchers to stay on and back his leadership. Bishop hinted that, as a result, the numbers may be better for Turnbull. | She also hints that the prime minister has been successful in convincing a number of frontbenchers to stay on and back his leadership. Bishop hinted that, as a result, the numbers may be better for Turnbull. |
| Malcolm is wanting to heal the divisions and unite the party ... he’s asked them to stay on in the ministry. I believe a number of them are either considering that or have accepted that offer and will back him. | Malcolm is wanting to heal the divisions and unite the party ... he’s asked them to stay on in the ministry. I believe a number of them are either considering that or have accepted that offer and will back him. |
| Bishop also confirms that Turnbull accepted the resignation of Concetta Fierravanti-Wells. | Bishop also confirms that Turnbull accepted the resignation of Concetta Fierravanti-Wells. |
| A bit more from Dutton’s interview. | A bit more from Dutton’s interview. |
| In a country where we’ve got an abundance of natural resource, of renewables, of coal, of hydro, and yet we’re paying some of the highest energy costs in the world. They’re the sorts of things I think we should be working on, and if we do, I believe that people will strongly support the government. | In a country where we’ve got an abundance of natural resource, of renewables, of coal, of hydro, and yet we’re paying some of the highest energy costs in the world. They’re the sorts of things I think we should be working on, and if we do, I believe that people will strongly support the government. |
| He wasn’t prepared, though, for the classic FM radio question. What’s your favourite AC/DC song? | He wasn’t prepared, though, for the classic FM radio question. What’s your favourite AC/DC song? |
| Dutton couldn’t name one. Oops. | Dutton couldn’t name one. Oops. |
| Peter Dutton is already out and about, selling himself as an alternative leader. He appeared on Triple M radio in Melbourne, an FM station, and detailed a policy agenda of sorts. It was pretty populist stuff. | Peter Dutton is already out and about, selling himself as an alternative leader. He appeared on Triple M radio in Melbourne, an FM station, and detailed a policy agenda of sorts. It was pretty populist stuff. |
| He called for the GST to be taken off power bills for families, pensioners and self-funded retirees, as well a a royal commission into electricity and fuel companies. | He called for the GST to be taken off power bills for families, pensioners and self-funded retirees, as well a a royal commission into electricity and fuel companies. |
| Labor’s Tanya Plibersek points out that Dutton supported electricity privatisation, voted to take the energy supplement from low-income Australians and resisted a royal commission into the banks. She labels his ideas as “uncosted and untested”. | Labor’s Tanya Plibersek points out that Dutton supported electricity privatisation, voted to take the energy supplement from low-income Australians and resisted a royal commission into the banks. She labels his ideas as “uncosted and untested”. |
| “What’s new here is that he wants to appear like he’s an ordinary Australian,” Plibersek tells Sky News. | “What’s new here is that he wants to appear like he’s an ordinary Australian,” Plibersek tells Sky News. |
| Dutton hitting the airwaves (Triple M Melbourne right now), laying out a policy agenda | Dutton hitting the airwaves (Triple M Melbourne right now), laying out a policy agenda |
| Here are the frontbench resignations that we know of so far. | Here are the frontbench resignations that we know of so far. |
| Who’s resigned? | Who’s resigned? |
| Peter Dutton | Peter Dutton |
| Who’s offered to resign? | Who’s offered to resign? |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells | Concetta Fierravanti-Wells |
| Michael Sukkar | Michael Sukkar |
| Greg Hunt | Greg Hunt |
| Zed Seselja | Zed Seselja |
| Angus Taylor | Angus Taylor |
| James McGrath | James McGrath |
| Alan Tudge | Alan Tudge |
| Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is a special case. It was reported that Turnbull had accepted her resignation, but she told the ABC this morning that she was yet to speak with the prime minister. She also could not confirm whether or not she was still on the frontbench. She didn’t appear to know. | Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is a special case. It was reported that Turnbull had accepted her resignation, but she told the ABC this morning that she was yet to speak with the prime minister. She also could not confirm whether or not she was still on the frontbench. She didn’t appear to know. |
| Steve Ciobo was also expected to offer his resignation last night, but later tweeted that the party must unite under Turnbull. | Steve Ciobo was also expected to offer his resignation last night, but later tweeted that the party must unite under Turnbull. |
| Hello, and welcome to what’s shaping up to be another momentous day in the madhouse. | Hello, and welcome to what’s shaping up to be another momentous day in the madhouse. |
| It’s Christopher Knaus here, filling in for my colleague Amy Remeikis. | It’s Christopher Knaus here, filling in for my colleague Amy Remeikis. |
| Events are already moving at a high tempo. Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership remains in serious jeopardy. We saw a flurry of late-night resignations from the frontbench last night, timed to heap further pressure on the prime minister. Turnbull is desperately trying to keep his cabinet together and has flat out refused to accept the resignations of some senior ministers. So far, it’s believed he has only accepted the resignations of Peter Dutton and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells. | Events are already moving at a high tempo. Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership remains in serious jeopardy. We saw a flurry of late-night resignations from the frontbench last night, timed to heap further pressure on the prime minister. Turnbull is desperately trying to keep his cabinet together and has flat out refused to accept the resignations of some senior ministers. So far, it’s believed he has only accepted the resignations of Peter Dutton and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells. |
| Already this morning we’ve seen Peter Dutton out on the airwaves. He was on FM radio spruiking up populist policies and trying, again, to show his “nice” side. We’ll bring you more on that shortly. | Already this morning we’ve seen Peter Dutton out on the airwaves. He was on FM radio spruiking up populist policies and trying, again, to show his “nice” side. We’ll bring you more on that shortly. |
| There are moving pieces all over parliament. Darren Chester, the Nationals MP, is reportedly refusing to guarantee he would not go to the crossbench if Dutton becomes the Liberal leader. That would, of course, lose the government its majority and force an election. | There are moving pieces all over parliament. Darren Chester, the Nationals MP, is reportedly refusing to guarantee he would not go to the crossbench if Dutton becomes the Liberal leader. That would, of course, lose the government its majority and force an election. |
| At the same time, crossbench MPs Rebekha Sharkie and Cathy McGowan are refusing to say whether they would guarantee supply and confidence to a Dutton government. That would, again, force an election. The Coalition, on its current numbers, would likely be wiped out at the polls if that were to occur. | At the same time, crossbench MPs Rebekha Sharkie and Cathy McGowan are refusing to say whether they would guarantee supply and confidence to a Dutton government. That would, again, force an election. The Coalition, on its current numbers, would likely be wiped out at the polls if that were to occur. |
| So, strap yourselves in. It’s going to be a wild day. | So, strap yourselves in. It’s going to be a wild day. |