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Cormann, Fifield and Cash abandon Turnbull – politics live Scott Morrison will reportedly run as candidate for leadership – politics live
(35 minutes later)
Steve Ciobo, the trade minister, has resigned. He was the last of that group that entered Turnbull’s office earlier to resign.
I have resigned as Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment. Serving as Minister has been an absolute honour. We have achieved much. Regrettably, it is clear to me the Prime Minister has lost the support of the Party Room and it is critical the leadership is resolved.
Peter Dutton would actively harm the Liberal Party’s vote if made leader, according to a ReachTel poll conducted on Wednesday night.
The poll of 2,430 voters found that 55.5% would be less likely to vote for the Liberals if Dutton becomes leader, compared with 22.9% who would be more likely and 21.5% who say it wouldn’t change their vote.
In fact, a majority in all age groups and sexes would be less likely to vote Liberal. Women in particular seem to dislike Dutton - 57% would be less likely to vote Liberal. Young people aged 18-34 are most opposed (57.6%).
Malcolm Turnbull is the preferred Liberal leader with 38%, followed by Julie Bishop (29%), Tony Abbott (14%), Peter Dutton is on just 10% and Scott Morrison on 8.6%. So that’s bad news for Dutton - he’s behind his fellow conservative Abbott and good news for Bishop, who appears the best compromise candidate.
Among Liberals, Turnbull’s lead as preferred leader is even higher - he has 55% support.
The poll was commissioned by the Construction Forestry Mining Maritime Energy Union - which Dutton has frequently caricatured as being a militant union propping up Bill Shorten’s leadership.
The poll finds Labor leading the Coalition 53% to 47%.
The ship is well and truly sunk now.
Some parliamentary cleaners just came out of the ministerial wing pushing a trolley with half a dozen bags of shredded documents, and took them down the lift to the basement #auspol #Libspill
Michael Keenan, the human services minister, is the next to abandon Turnbull.
In the best interests of all Australians, it’s important that the leadership is now resolved.
With a heavy heart, I have handed my resignation to Malcolm Turnbull. It has been a great honour to serve, but it has become clear that he’s lost the support of the Liberal Party room. In the best interests of all Australians, it’s important that the leadership is now resolved.
The chief government whip, Nola Marino, has just left Turnbull’s office, our reporter Gareth Hutchens tells me.
It’s likely the pair were working out the details of the now inevitable party room meeting.
Alan Tudge, the citizenship and multicultural affairs minister, has also tendered his resignation.
I have tendered my resignation as Minister, having offered it on Monday. This is a decision I have not taken lightly. However, this morning it became clear that there is no longer the support for PM, including from members of leadership group. It has been a great honour to serve.
The demise continues. Health minister Greg Hunt and law enforcement minister Angus Taylor have both tendered their resignations. Turnbull is looking increasingly isolated. in that office.
Our reporter Gareth Hutchens tells me Taylor and Hunt have just left Turnbull’s office, alongside Steve Ciobo and Alan Tudge.
This morning I spoke with the Prime Minister and tendered my resignation pic.twitter.com/mELOY3SASj
This morning I tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister. It has been a privilege to serve as Minister for Law Enforcement and Cyber Security and I remain deeply committed to the people of Hume. pic.twitter.com/ypqv7HQbKQ
Nationals MP Darren Chester has played an important role in all this. He’s not ruled out moving to the cross-bench with other Nationals MPs, should Dutton take the leadership. He’s also not guaranteed Dutton supply and confidence. We checked, and that position has not changed today. Remember that the Coalition’s majority in the lower house is wafer-thin. He has a one-seat majority. Chester’s position would leave Dutton exposed to a no-confidence motion and an early election.
Chester has just tweeted his disgust at the current situation in parliament.
Outside the Canberra bubble there’s 25 million Australians dealing with real issues today. I’m appalled and bitterly disappointed with the events in Parliament House. Can’t wait to get home to #lovegippsland and spend time with some normal people. #auspol pic.twitter.com/gA27O3D37c
The turnstiles keep clicking at Turnbull’s office.
The latest movements:
key Turnbull backers, Christopher Pyne, Trent Zimmerman and Paul Fletcher, just entered
attorney-general Christian Porter just left
Gareth Hutchens, our man on the ground outside Turnbull’s office, says treasurer Scott Morrison has just left the PM’s office.
The elusive smile makes a return. I’ll wager it would have faded pretty darn quick had just one more vote gone against him in the house earlier.
Peter Dutton during a division in the House @knausc @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/PwpxwZkWdw
More movement at Turnbull’s office.
Treasurer Scott Morrison, the attorney-general Christian Porter, and financial services minister Kelly O’Dwyer have all entered on their own.
Things are moving at a remarkable tempo now. Fun fact: I bought a coffee this morning at 8am, and I’ve just realised I’ve been too busy to drink it. Now it’s gone cold. I can assure you this is very unusual behaviour for someone with a debilitating caffeine addiction, and a sign of the current state of parliament.
More movement around the prime minister’s office.More movement around the prime minister’s office.
Our reporter Gareth Hutchens has just watched a group of frontbenchers and Dutton backers walk in to Turnbull’s office. The group included:Our reporter Gareth Hutchens has just watched a group of frontbenchers and Dutton backers walk in to Turnbull’s office. The group included:
Michael KeenanMichael Keenan
Angus TaylorAngus Taylor
Steve CioboSteve Ciobo
Alan TudgeAlan Tudge
Those individuals previously offered to resign, but Turnbull refused to accept.Those individuals previously offered to resign, but Turnbull refused to accept.
Sky News is reporting that the treasurer Scott Morrison will run as a surprise candidate in any leadership ballot. We’re confirming that report as we speak.
Our photographer Mike Bowers was down at that Mathias Cormann press conference. It’s a moment history will likely remember as key to Turnbull’s demise. Here are the pictures:
Our reporter Gareth Hutchens, tells us Malcolm Turnbull has just walked back into his office with Craig Laundy, one of his key supporters. Oh, to be a fly on that wall.
Wow. That was incredibly tight.
The government hangs on by a single vote. One vote. Remarkable. It was 68-69.
Just to put that in context, the parliament almost decided to refer our likely next prime minister, Peter Dutton, to the nation’s highest court because he may not have been eligible to sit in parliament.
Lower house crossbenchers are voting with Labor. Andrew Wilkie, Adam Bandt, Rebekha Sharkie, and Cathy McGowan are all voting with the opposition.
This could be interesting.
Wilkie, bandt, McGowan and Sharkie voting with labor to refer Peter Dutton to High Court #auspol
Labor are being rather sneaky in the lower house, too. They’re trying to refer Peter Dutton to the high court over his eligibility woes.
The Coalition is in disarray, and the numbers are tight.
A division is being called.
Here’s the text of the motion, moved by Tony Burke, the opposition’s manager of business.
I move –
That pursuant to section 376 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the House of
Representatives refer the following questions to the Court of Disputed Returns:
1. whether, by reason of s44 of the Constitution, the place of the Member for Dickson (Mr Dutton) has become vacant;
2. if the answer to Question (1) is “yes”, by what means and in what manner that vacancy should be filled;
3. what directions and other orders, if any, the Court should make in order to hear and finally dispose of this reference; and
4. what, if any, orders should be made as to the costs of these proceedings.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Labor almost used the confusion and chaos to kill off the Coalition’s plans to expand its controversial cashless welfare card expansion. The government’s leader in the Senate, Mathias Cormann, just resigned so there was effectively no one in charge.
Labor tested the government’s numbers on the floor of the upper house, and almost won. They tried to bring on an early vote on the bill, but lost the vote 31-33. Had they won, they could have had a second immediate vote to kill off the legislation.
How is everyone? Still with me? In case you’re as confused I am, I’ve just checked, and yes, we are in Australia (a developed democratic nation), and yes, we are about to see, yet again, a sitting prime minister turfed without finishing a full term. I’ve also slapped myself a few times and we are not, in fact, in some never-ending political nightmare.
Let’s map out the next steps. You have to think with that dramatic intervention, the next step will be a party room meeting. Will Turnbull contest a ballot? Will a third, surprise leadership contender emerge? Or will Turnbull see the writing on the wall, and allow the leadership to transfer without contest?
Today Malcolm Turnbull has overtaken Gough Whitlam to become the 15th longest serving Australia prime minister at 2 years, 342 days. pic.twitter.com/P0k84JKqv4
The Liberal Party is about to go to a ballot without legal advice from the commonwealth's top legal officer about whether the challenger is eligible to sit in parliament. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. #auspol #libspill #auslaw
Remember this? The mateship? The smiles? The embrace?
It was less than 24 hours ago. Politics, what a business.