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| Scott Morrison says 'Liberal party is on your side' after bitter leadership feud – politics live | Scott Morrison says 'Liberal party is on your side' after bitter leadership feud – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| There we have it. The governor-general, Peter Cosgrove, has sworn in Scott Morrison as the 30th prime minister of Australia. | |
| The swearing in is met with much applause in government house. | |
| Nationals MP Kevin Hogan – who earlier said that he would join the crossbench but guarantee confidence and supply – is not going to quit the Nationals. | |
| I’ve had clarification from a spokesman for Hogan: | |
| Kevin has never said he is leaving the Nationals – only moving to the crossbench. He will sit in the Nationals partyroom but not the Coalition. | |
| Former WA Nationals member Tony Crock did similar. He will guarantee supply etc and look at each bill on a case by case basis. | |
| Scott Morrison has arrived at government house in Yarralumla, Canberra, to be sworn in as the new prime minister of Australia. | |
| He arrives with his family. His colleagues and the most powerful public servant, Martin Parkinson, are waiting for the ceremony. | |
| Liberal MP Craig Laundy, a key backer of Malcolm Turnbull until the very end, has just been on 2GB radio, talking to Ben Fordham. | |
| “Mate, I am physically, mentally and emotionally absolutely annihilated,” he said. | |
| Fordham asked him what he thought of the result of the spill, and Laundy sighed for a long time. | |
| Then he said: “Um, I just, I have sat back this week and I have watched the party I love tear down a great man and a great friend and, geez, wow.” | |
| Fordham: “How’s Malcolm dealing with all of this?” | |
| Laundy: “You know what? He’s shattered, obviously, as anyone would be. Put yourself in his shoes. | |
| “But, mate, the thing that struck me, and I’ve had the privilege of having a seat at the table all week … and I think this is probably his barrister background, but in the middle of a crisis, mate, you know, he just stayed calm the whole way. | |
| “He’d turn to me and look at me and say, ‘they’ve lost their mind haven’t they?’ and I’d say “mate, I think they have, but you know we’ve gotta keep working through”.” | |
| Fordham asked him if Turnbull had reflected on the fact that he had torn down a first term prime minister, in Tony Abbott, and now it had happened to him, and that that would have instigated some of this week’s events. | |
| Laundy said: “Look no, but it obviously did [play a role, given] the personalities involved, and I’ve obviously been as involved in what’s happened today as in what happened to Tony Abbott. | |
| “But there’s one clear and distinct difference. When this happened with Malcolm in 2015, the backbench came to Malcolm in desperation. What’s happened this week is that the Dutton forces have gone to the backbench. | |
| “Now some of the behaviour this week, I had one female senator and two female members of the House, when it came to the letter, the petition, that were physically stood over to sign it, and they refused. | |
| “This is the sort of behaviour you had going on. | |
| “And I’m the federal minister for workplace relations, guess what? Parliament house is a workplace. That sort of intimidation and bullying is something you can actually file a claim against.” | |
| Fordham then wondered if Scott Morrison would be given some space and fresh air by the Dutton camp. | |
| Laundy said he hoped so. | |
| Laundy: “We need generational change in politics, because right now politics is broken, and I trace it back to, this is 10 years of tumultuous times, starting back in 2007 with the [Kevin] Rudd era. | |
| “The people that came in in 2013 and 2016, you know, inside my party but also across the chamber, inside our party at the moment you’ve got this great chasm of the left and the right, and historically those that are the senior leaders of both sides have been at each other’s throats for 20 to 30 years, but the hope of the [party] is the next generation. | |
| “The guys on the right of our party right now, the next generation – Michael Sukkar, Zed Seselja, Tony Pasin, these sorts of guys – are good mates of mine and the people on the left of the party that came in more recently. | |
| “We didn’t experience those first lot of horrible years. We’ve sort of inherited and watched on and now, I think hopefully with Scott [Morrison] and Josh [Frydenberg], is a generational change which I think’s needed. | |
| “Let’s hope.” | |
| A new leader addresses the nation. Mike Bowers captured all the colour from Morrison’s first press conference earlier. | |
| A spokesman for the leader of the Nationals, Michael McCormack, has confirmed that they’re pushing for a better deal from the Liberals but – no – they’re not going to tell us what’s in it. | |
| He said: | |
| In negotiating the Coalition agreement, the Nationals at all times take the opportunity to assert a better deal for the people we represent in regional Australia, such as lowering cost of living pressures or reducing energy costs. | |
| The Coalition agreement is between the two leaders and is not a public document. | |
| During the almost 100-year history of the Nationals, when forming government with the Liberals at various stages, it has not been released. | |
| Any demands for the agreement to be released are nothing but political game-playing and mischief aimed at mischaracterising its purpose. | |
| Earlier today independent MP Cathy McGowan called on the Coalition to release the document. | |
| It’s just gone 5pm here in Canberra, so it feels like the right time for a summary. | It’s just gone 5pm here in Canberra, so it feels like the right time for a summary. |
| For those waking up overseas and tuning in, don’t worry. It’s just another standard day in Australian politics. A sitting prime minister has been turfed by his own party. Yawn. | For those waking up overseas and tuning in, don’t worry. It’s just another standard day in Australian politics. A sitting prime minister has been turfed by his own party. Yawn. |
| The former treasurer, Scott Morrison, is to become Australia’s 30th prime minister, after a dramatic day in Canberra. | The former treasurer, Scott Morrison, is to become Australia’s 30th prime minister, after a dramatic day in Canberra. |
| A group of conservatives, led by Peter Dutton, forced the leadership spill against the incumbent, Malcolm Turnbull, after days of infighting that had paralysed the government. | A group of conservatives, led by Peter Dutton, forced the leadership spill against the incumbent, Malcolm Turnbull, after days of infighting that had paralysed the government. |
| Turnbull on Thursday stared down Dutton and his backers, demanding to see evidence that a majority of his party wanted to meet and vote on the leadership. He also raised serious doubts about Dutton’s eligibility to sit in parliament. Turnbull knew he could not hold on, but in so doing, he bought more time for his preferred candidates Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop to secure support. | Turnbull on Thursday stared down Dutton and his backers, demanding to see evidence that a majority of his party wanted to meet and vote on the leadership. He also raised serious doubts about Dutton’s eligibility to sit in parliament. Turnbull knew he could not hold on, but in so doing, he bought more time for his preferred candidates Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop to secure support. |
| The majority needed to force the Liberal party meeting was secured, and a spill of the leadership was called. | The majority needed to force the Liberal party meeting was secured, and a spill of the leadership was called. |
| Dutton, Morrison and Bishop all stood in the leadership ballot on Friday. Bishop was knocked out at the first hurdle. | Dutton, Morrison and Bishop all stood in the leadership ballot on Friday. Bishop was knocked out at the first hurdle. |
| Morrison won the spill against Dutton 45-40. | Morrison won the spill against Dutton 45-40. |
| Turnbull did not stand in the ballot and will now leave parliament. On the way out, he slammed the deliberate destruction of his prime ministership, blaming Dutton and conservative former prime minister Tony Abbott for leading an “insurgency”. | Turnbull did not stand in the ballot and will now leave parliament. On the way out, he slammed the deliberate destruction of his prime ministership, blaming Dutton and conservative former prime minister Tony Abbott for leading an “insurgency”. |
| Morrison stressed unity, stability and liberal-conservative values when he addressed the country. He told Australians the government was here to “serve you”, not itself. He pledged to focus his attention on the drought, and highlighted energy prices and welfare as areas of attention. He gave little explanation for the leadership revolt that has perplexed and angered voters. | Morrison stressed unity, stability and liberal-conservative values when he addressed the country. He told Australians the government was here to “serve you”, not itself. He pledged to focus his attention on the drought, and highlighted energy prices and welfare as areas of attention. He gave little explanation for the leadership revolt that has perplexed and angered voters. |
| Dutton said he held no regrets about his actions. He said the spill was needed to resolve the bitter animosity conservatives still held for Turnbull. He pledged to back Morrison and bury the old grievances. | Dutton said he held no regrets about his actions. He said the spill was needed to resolve the bitter animosity conservatives still held for Turnbull. He pledged to back Morrison and bury the old grievances. |
| Liberal MPs have now pleaded with their colleagues to unite behind Morrison, end the infighting and focus on the next election. | Liberal MPs have now pleaded with their colleagues to unite behind Morrison, end the infighting and focus on the next election. |
| We’re still waiting for Morrison to be sworn in as prime minister by the governor-general. Turnbull has already been to see the governor-general to resign. | We’re still waiting for Morrison to be sworn in as prime minister by the governor-general. Turnbull has already been to see the governor-general to resign. |
| Another former Labor prime minister offers some words to the Liberals. This time, it’s Julia Gillard. She tells Malcolm Turnbull “there is a life after” and “best wishes for the days to come”. | Another former Labor prime minister offers some words to the Liberals. This time, it’s Julia Gillard. She tells Malcolm Turnbull “there is a life after” and “best wishes for the days to come”. |
| Congratulations to @ScottMorrisonMP - always an honour to serve. To the 29th PM, from the 27th PM, @TurnbullMalcolm there is a life after. Best wishes for the days to come. | Congratulations to @ScottMorrisonMP - always an honour to serve. To the 29th PM, from the 27th PM, @TurnbullMalcolm there is a life after. Best wishes for the days to come. |
| ABC reporter Jackson Gothe-Snape has tracked down Peter Dutton at a Canberra restaurant. It’s the most we’ve heard from Dutton since his unsuccessful tilt at the leadership. | ABC reporter Jackson Gothe-Snape has tracked down Peter Dutton at a Canberra restaurant. It’s the most we’ve heard from Dutton since his unsuccessful tilt at the leadership. |
| Dutton has pledged to get behind Morrison. He says the old grudges and bitterness between the conservative and moderate forces are done. | Dutton has pledged to get behind Morrison. He says the old grudges and bitterness between the conservative and moderate forces are done. |
| Does he regret what he’s done? | Does he regret what he’s done? |
| No, I don’t regret it at all. I’m pleased that Scott Morrison has been elected prime minister. I think it’s a good day for this country. I think it’s a turning point and I think it’s a healing point for the Liberal party. I think we now look forward instead of back. Obviously the animosity ran deep in the party from when Malcolm Turnbull deposed Tony Abbott. We now draw a line under all of that. | No, I don’t regret it at all. I’m pleased that Scott Morrison has been elected prime minister. I think it’s a good day for this country. I think it’s a turning point and I think it’s a healing point for the Liberal party. I think we now look forward instead of back. Obviously the animosity ran deep in the party from when Malcolm Turnbull deposed Tony Abbott. We now draw a line under all of that. |
| Just to recap on that first press conference from our prime minister-elect, Scott Morrison. | Just to recap on that first press conference from our prime minister-elect, Scott Morrison. |
| Morrison will announce his ministry next week, but it looks as Josh Frydenberg will be his treasurer. | Morrison will announce his ministry next week, but it looks as Josh Frydenberg will be his treasurer. |
| He spoke a lot of unity, stability and serving the Australian people, rather than themselves. That’s not surprising, given the past week. | He spoke a lot of unity, stability and serving the Australian people, rather than themselves. That’s not surprising, given the past week. |
| He listed his immediate priority as the drought. He will review the government’s response. | He listed his immediate priority as the drought. He will review the government’s response. |
| When asked why he helped remove Turnbull, he said he didn’t. He said he was loyal. No real explanation was offered for this radical change in government. | When asked why he helped remove Turnbull, he said he didn’t. He said he was loyal. No real explanation was offered for this radical change in government. |
| He paid tribute to liberal and conservative values, which he described as the “fair go” and individual choice. He also spoke of playing by the rules – singling out energy companies abusing their market position and mentioning power prices. He also, jarringly, mentioned the rules were important for people parking on the street. | He paid tribute to liberal and conservative values, which he described as the “fair go” and individual choice. He also spoke of playing by the rules – singling out energy companies abusing their market position and mentioning power prices. He also, jarringly, mentioned the rules were important for people parking on the street. |
| Morrison told Australians they shouldn’t expect to go to the polls any time soon, despite Turnbull’s imminent resignation, which will trigger a byelection. | Morrison told Australians they shouldn’t expect to go to the polls any time soon, despite Turnbull’s imminent resignation, which will trigger a byelection. |
| I asked new prime minister Scott Morrison to explain to the Australian people why his party removed another sitting Prime Minister today. Here is his (very short) answer: pic.twitter.com/ebR45en0OH | I asked new prime minister Scott Morrison to explain to the Australian people why his party removed another sitting Prime Minister today. Here is his (very short) answer: pic.twitter.com/ebR45en0OH |