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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2018/aug/24/liberal-spill-malcolm-turnbull-peter-dutton-scott-morrison-liberal-spill-politics-parliament-live
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| Turnbull attacks 'wreckers' Abbott and Dutton as he leaves office – politics live | Turnbull attacks 'wreckers' Abbott and Dutton as he leaves office – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Catholic schools are hoping the prime minister elect can help fix up the government’s “flawed school funding policies”. They’re on the front foot. The Catholic education commission of Victoria executive director, Stephen Elder, said: | |
| The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria acknowledges the election of Scott Morrison as leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister. | |
| For the past 15 months Catholic school families have demonstrated their deep concern at flawed school funding policies, as seen at the Batman and Longman by-elections. | |
| We look forward to a new approach from government and have issued a number of papers over the past 18 months that will be able to assist Mr Morrison and his education minister. | |
| The CECV looks forward to working with Mr Morrison to replace school SES scores with a better measure of school needs – as recommended by the National School Resourcing Board – as a matter of priority and a recognition of the importance of choice in education for Catholic school parents. | |
| The former Labor prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has offered some helpful advice to his rivals. Do what I did. | |
| I’m sure they’ll be chuffed to hear from Rudd, at this particular juncture. | |
| For the nation’s good, I’d urge Liberal Party to adopt a rule change to prevent rolling political chaos. Our 2013 rule change (requiring 50% vote of MPs, 50% of ALL party members) means you can’t just launch a coup at the drop of a hat. It’s helped give Labor 5 years of stability | |
| But that, as you’d expect, is where the cross-party love ends. | |
| Labor are straight out on the attack against Scott Morrison. They’ve emailed members to help build a war chest after his ascent. | |
| It starts: | |
| Dear xxxx | |
| ‘It’s official: Today the architect of giving the big banks a $17 billion tax handout is set to become the Prime Minister. | |
| Scott Morrison. | |
| This is the same Scott Morrison who: | |
| Locked in massive cuts to hospitals; | |
| Will keep fighting to give $17 billion to the big banks; | |
| Cut $17 billion from schools; | |
| Cut penalty rates; | |
| Raised the pension age to 70; | |
| Cut the Aged Pension; and | |
| Voted 26 times against the banking royal commission. | |
| There you go. Gives you a fairly good idea of Labor’s attack lines in the coming weeks. | |
| You’ll notice that there’s no mention of Operation Sovereign Borders, the Morrison-led mission to “stop the boats”. | |
| The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, has just released a statement farewelling Malcolm Turnbull. Shorten speaks highly of Turnbull, praising him as a “great intellect” and someone of great “eloquence”. Shorten wishes him well in life after politics, and says he hopes this allows him to spend more time with his wife, Lucy, and family. | |
| Here’s the statement in full: | |
| Politics can be a brutal business. | |
| For Malcolm, for Lucy, for their family and for his personal staff, who are as loyal and as close as family, this is a very hard day indeed. | |
| In 2016, Malcolm and I led our two parties in the longest election campaign in fifty years and in some respects, I suppose we have been engaged in that same contest in the two years since. | |
| But for all our verbal conflict, for all the fierce words we’ve exchanged, I hope Malcolm knows that I have always respected him as a formidable opponent, as an advocate of great intellect and eloquence and as someone who came to parliament, relatively late in life, because he was driven by the desire to serve. | |
| Australian politics will always need people like that, on all sides. | |
| The final observation I would make may seem a small thing but I believe it says a great deal. | |
| On many occasions, Malcolm and I would speak at the same events. I don’t think any Australian Prime Minister has used the word ‘love’ more frequently in his public remarks. | |
| Anyone who listened to him speak could always hear his deep and profound love for his wife Lucy, for their children and grandchildren. But also his abiding love for our country. | |
| I hope the future brings Malcolm plenty of relaxing paddles in the kayak, plenty of stories to read and re-read to the grandchildren - and many long and happy days with his loved ones. | |
| Chloe and I wish him, Lucy and their family well. | |
| Can we all just take a moment to appreciate Jack, Malcolm Turnbull’s grandson? If only he’d stood in the spill. Surely the conservatives wouldn’t try an insurgency against a kid that cute. | |
| Outgoing PM Malcolm Turnbull and his family this afternoon @knausc @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive https://t.co/7jmNu1vxfp pic.twitter.com/LLwrwBurhs | |
| Just back to that petition, some very interesting notes were made by Liberal MPs clearly gutted by the entire process. Some made it clear they were signing only to resolve the mess, or that they supported the office of the prime minister. | |
| Warren Entsch wrote “for Brendan Nelson”. He told Guardian Australia this morning: | |
| This cancer started when Brendan Nelson got trashed, and it’s never been the bloody same since. Rolling leaders has become a culture. We’ve got to clean it. We have to. It’s about time for a bit of loyalty, a bit of respect. | |
| when u stan ur queen pic.twitter.com/TcnNhPrxmE | |
| More Liberal MPs are leaving parliament and speaking freely to reporters on their way out. Enjoy it while it lasts. We’ll be back to scripted lines in no time. | More Liberal MPs are leaving parliament and speaking freely to reporters on their way out. Enjoy it while it lasts. We’ll be back to scripted lines in no time. |
| Trent Zimmerman says the leadership tensions must stop. | Trent Zimmerman says the leadership tensions must stop. |
| The Australian people will be rightly very unforgiving unless we move on, and I’m confident that we will. | The Australian people will be rightly very unforgiving unless we move on, and I’m confident that we will. |
| Should Abbott and other agitators leave parliament? | Should Abbott and other agitators leave parliament? |
| I wouldn’t like to see any more byelections but I do think that sometimes former prime ministers should take the model that John Howard sensibly has, and that’s to show great discretion about when you get involved in contemporary issues. | I wouldn’t like to see any more byelections but I do think that sometimes former prime ministers should take the model that John Howard sensibly has, and that’s to show great discretion about when you get involved in contemporary issues. |
| Fairfax and the ABC have the list of names of the 43 MPs who signed the crucial petition calling for the party room meeting. | Fairfax and the ABC have the list of names of the 43 MPs who signed the crucial petition calling for the party room meeting. |
| These are the Liberal MPs who forced a spill motion, ending Malcolm Turnbull's prime ministership. @politicsabc https://t.co/qHZEJD4rqw pic.twitter.com/H8Cb68sbDM | These are the Liberal MPs who forced a spill motion, ending Malcolm Turnbull's prime ministership. @politicsabc https://t.co/qHZEJD4rqw pic.twitter.com/H8Cb68sbDM |
| EXCLUSIVE: Here’s ‘the list’ of MPs who demanded the spill. More detail here: https://t.co/nF9MY5Aw7e #auspol #libspill pic.twitter.com/uxrSrbF9dY | EXCLUSIVE: Here’s ‘the list’ of MPs who demanded the spill. More detail here: https://t.co/nF9MY5Aw7e #auspol #libspill pic.twitter.com/uxrSrbF9dY |
| A slight update on movements. Malcolm Turnbull has driven to Government House in Yarralumla, the official residence of the governor general. | A slight update on movements. Malcolm Turnbull has driven to Government House in Yarralumla, the official residence of the governor general. |
| Scott Morrison is about to speak to the media back in Parliament House. That’s scheduled for 3pm, so we’ll bring it to you as it happens. | Scott Morrison is about to speak to the media back in Parliament House. That’s scheduled for 3pm, so we’ll bring it to you as it happens. |
| New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Scott Morrison by phone, and seemed warm in her praise of Australia’s new PM, saying he knew New Zealand well. | New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Scott Morrison by phone, and seemed warm in her praise of Australia’s new PM, saying he knew New Zealand well. |
| “I congratulated him on his role. Obviously I don’t need to help him familiarise himself with New Zealand; he has been active in promoting New Zealand to the world. And he acknowledged his warmth for this country. I look forward to building a really strong relationship with him.” | “I congratulated him on his role. Obviously I don’t need to help him familiarise himself with New Zealand; he has been active in promoting New Zealand to the world. And he acknowledged his warmth for this country. I look forward to building a really strong relationship with him.” |
| “Regardless of who is in charge we will keep advocating in the same way on behalf of New Zealand. Certainly I will make an assumption here that based on the role he has had in the past he will know New Zealand and its fine attributes really well.” | “Regardless of who is in charge we will keep advocating in the same way on behalf of New Zealand. Certainly I will make an assumption here that based on the role he has had in the past he will know New Zealand and its fine attributes really well.” |
| When asked by a reporter if Morrison was a better choice for Australia then Peter Dutton, Ardern dodged the question. | When asked by a reporter if Morrison was a better choice for Australia then Peter Dutton, Ardern dodged the question. |
| “Look we constantly make sure that we are the best representatives and advocates that we can be, regardless on who we’re advocating too.” | “Look we constantly make sure that we are the best representatives and advocates that we can be, regardless on who we’re advocating too.” |
| “I just had a conversation with him about the opportunities we might have to meet in the future, there’s several important fixtures coming up. The UN general assembly, the East Asia summit, Apec, and I look forward to potentially meeting him at any one of those.” | “I just had a conversation with him about the opportunities we might have to meet in the future, there’s several important fixtures coming up. The UN general assembly, the East Asia summit, Apec, and I look forward to potentially meeting him at any one of those.” |
| Ardern added that she had not had much to do with Morrison in the past, but her finance minister, Grant Robertson, had. | Ardern added that she had not had much to do with Morrison in the past, but her finance minister, Grant Robertson, had. |
| Leader of the opposition Simon Bridges also congratulated Morrison, and described him as a “warm friend of New Zealand”. | Leader of the opposition Simon Bridges also congratulated Morrison, and described him as a “warm friend of New Zealand”. |
| “I would also like to acknowledge Malcolm Turnbull for his commitment to the Australian-New Zealand relationship. Mr Turnbull has been instrumental in ensuring the relationship between our two countries continues to grow from strength to strength and I am confident that this close relationship will continue to grow under Mr Morrison’s leadership.” | “I would also like to acknowledge Malcolm Turnbull for his commitment to the Australian-New Zealand relationship. Mr Turnbull has been instrumental in ensuring the relationship between our two countries continues to grow from strength to strength and I am confident that this close relationship will continue to grow under Mr Morrison’s leadership.” |
| A bit more from Cormann. He says “Malcolm will probably not like me for some time”. | A bit more from Cormann. He says “Malcolm will probably not like me for some time”. |
| It was a very difficult decision. It was an awful decision to have to make. | It was a very difficult decision. It was an awful decision to have to make. |
| I believe it had to be settled more comprehensively than it was earlier in the week. | I believe it had to be settled more comprehensively than it was earlier in the week. |
| It’s not something that gave me any pleasure, whatsoever. I genuinely and sincerely enjoyed working with Malcolm. I had a very good working relationship with Malcolm. | It’s not something that gave me any pleasure, whatsoever. I genuinely and sincerely enjoyed working with Malcolm. I had a very good working relationship with Malcolm. |
| Malcolm will probably not like me for some time. It was tough, I made a judgment that it was necessary. In the end all you can do in these jobs, all you can do is make judgments that you believe to be right. | Malcolm will probably not like me for some time. It was tough, I made a judgment that it was necessary. In the end all you can do in these jobs, all you can do is make judgments that you believe to be right. |
| One of the key players in all of this, Mathias Cormann, is speaking on Sky News. He effectively sealed Turnbull’s fate on Thursday, when he abandoned the prime minister, along with Michaelia Cash and Mitch Fifield, his frontbench colleagues. | One of the key players in all of this, Mathias Cormann, is speaking on Sky News. He effectively sealed Turnbull’s fate on Thursday, when he abandoned the prime minister, along with Michaelia Cash and Mitch Fifield, his frontbench colleagues. |
| Interestingly, if those three had voted against the spill motion today, it would have been defeated and Turnbull would have remained PM. | Interestingly, if those three had voted against the spill motion today, it would have been defeated and Turnbull would have remained PM. |
| Cormann maintains Turnbull had lost the support of the party. He’s asked what Turnbull was doing wrong to warrant his dumping. | Cormann maintains Turnbull had lost the support of the party. He’s asked what Turnbull was doing wrong to warrant his dumping. |
| The party wasn’t sufficiently united by Turnbull, he says. | The party wasn’t sufficiently united by Turnbull, he says. |
| Cormann says: | Cormann says: |
| I stand by my judgment. I believe that the ongoing division that we were experiencing … would have been debilitating for the government. | I stand by my judgment. I believe that the ongoing division that we were experiencing … would have been debilitating for the government. |
| Liberal MPs are starting to depart parliament. | Liberal MPs are starting to depart parliament. |
| Warren Entsch, a Queensland MP, tells reporters it would now be “insane” for the conservatives to agitate against the Morrison and Frydenberg leadership team. | Warren Entsch, a Queensland MP, tells reporters it would now be “insane” for the conservatives to agitate against the Morrison and Frydenberg leadership team. |
| We have got two leaders that have come in, leader and deputy, that have clean hands. They’ve got no political blood on their hands. They have been loyal, they have been committed, they have been outstanding performers and they have showed leadership. So I say it’s a great day for us, and I think we can move forward from there. | We have got two leaders that have come in, leader and deputy, that have clean hands. They’ve got no political blood on their hands. They have been loyal, they have been committed, they have been outstanding performers and they have showed leadership. So I say it’s a great day for us, and I think we can move forward from there. |
| A bit more detail on what the Nationals want from prime minister designate Scott Morrison: | A bit more detail on what the Nationals want from prime minister designate Scott Morrison: |
| The regional development and local government portfolio back | The regional development and local government portfolio back |
| A new agricultural visa (I’ll try to get more detail on this but the point, I assume, is that it’s hard to attract workers to pick fruit) | A new agricultural visa (I’ll try to get more detail on this but the point, I assume, is that it’s hard to attract workers to pick fruit) |
| Money for dams | Money for dams |
| Nationals lost the regional development and local government portfolio in the December reshuffle when John McVeigh, a regional Liberal from Queensland, got the portfolio. | Nationals lost the regional development and local government portfolio in the December reshuffle when John McVeigh, a regional Liberal from Queensland, got the portfolio. |
| Just to wrap up that final press conference from Turnbull: | Just to wrap up that final press conference from Turnbull: |
| Turnbull hit out at the “insurgency” that tore down his prime ministership. He described it as a “madness” and named Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott as the instigators. Turnbull also hit out at “powerful media voices”. He said Australians were “dumbstruck” and “appalled”. | Turnbull hit out at the “insurgency” that tore down his prime ministership. He described it as a “madness” and named Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott as the instigators. Turnbull also hit out at “powerful media voices”. He said Australians were “dumbstruck” and “appalled”. |
| He acknowledged that climate and energy was a problem for his party, and that much of it was ideological. | He acknowledged that climate and energy was a problem for his party, and that much of it was ideological. |
| Turnbull spoke of the difficulties of keeping the broad church of the Liberal party happy. But he said he learned it was crucial, and a lesson he learned from his previous time at the helm of the Liberal party. | Turnbull spoke of the difficulties of keeping the broad church of the Liberal party happy. But he said he learned it was crucial, and a lesson he learned from his previous time at the helm of the Liberal party. |
| He listed among his achievements: same-sex marriage, economic growth, Snowy Hydro 2.0, tax reform, defence investment, the redress scheme for child sex abuse, the US refugee resettlement deal, and the cities deal. | He listed among his achievements: same-sex marriage, economic growth, Snowy Hydro 2.0, tax reform, defence investment, the redress scheme for child sex abuse, the US refugee resettlement deal, and the cities deal. |
| Turnbull will quit parliament. When? It’s not so clear, but it will be soon, he promises. | Turnbull will quit parliament. When? It’s not so clear, but it will be soon, he promises. |
| He praised Scott Morrison for his loyalty, and thanked Christopher Pyne, and Marise Payne. | He praised Scott Morrison for his loyalty, and thanked Christopher Pyne, and Marise Payne. |
| Turnbull signs off #auspol pic.twitter.com/KF3g4qMcSy | Turnbull signs off #auspol pic.twitter.com/KF3g4qMcSy |
| Turnbull finishes with this: | Turnbull finishes with this: |
| I wish you all the best. Above all, I wish the new prime minister elect the very best and his team. Thank you. | I wish you all the best. Above all, I wish the new prime minister elect the very best and his team. Thank you. |
| He receives applause from the gathered colleagues and staffers who are in the prime minister’s courtyard for this moment. | He receives applause from the gathered colleagues and staffers who are in the prime minister’s courtyard for this moment. |
| Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he will quit parliament “before too long”. | Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he will quit parliament “before too long”. |
| Any regrets, Malcolm? | Any regrets, Malcolm? |
| We have run a very good government in the sense that we – the cabinet – hasn’t leaked very much, despite your best efforts to cause it to do so. We’ve been united. We’ve had a thoroughly traditional approach so that’s been good. | We have run a very good government in the sense that we – the cabinet – hasn’t leaked very much, despite your best efforts to cause it to do so. We’ve been united. We’ve had a thoroughly traditional approach so that’s been good. |
| Now his wife, Lucy, and his grandson Jack arrive by his side. | Now his wife, Lucy, and his grandson Jack arrive by his side. |
| He’s asked what Australians would think of the past week. | He’s asked what Australians would think of the past week. |
| Australians will be just be dumbstruck and so appalled by the conduct of the last week. You know, to imagine that a government would be rocked by this sort of disloyalty and deliberate insurgency, is the best way to describe it, deliberate destructive action. | Australians will be just be dumbstruck and so appalled by the conduct of the last week. You know, to imagine that a government would be rocked by this sort of disloyalty and deliberate insurgency, is the best way to describe it, deliberate destructive action. |