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Scott Morrison to be Australian PM as Malcolm Turnbull ousted Scott Morrison to be Australian PM as Malcolm Turnbull ousted
(35 minutes later)
Scott Morrison is to be Australia's new prime minister after Malcolm Turnbull was forced out by party rivals in a bruising leadership contest.Scott Morrison is to be Australia's new prime minister after Malcolm Turnbull was forced out by party rivals in a bruising leadership contest.
Mr Turnbull had been under pressure from poor polling and what he described as an "insurgency" by conservative MPs.Mr Turnbull had been under pressure from poor polling and what he described as an "insurgency" by conservative MPs.
Mr Morrison, the treasurer, won an internal ballot 45-40 over former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton - who had been Mr Turnbull's most vocal threat.Mr Morrison, the treasurer, won an internal ballot 45-40 over former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton - who had been Mr Turnbull's most vocal threat.
The outgoing prime minister did not stand in the leadership contest. Mr Turnbull is the fourth Australian PM in a decade to be ousted internally.
Mr Turnbull is the fourth Australian leader in a decade to be ousted by internal rivals.
"It has been such a privilege to be the leader of this great nation. I love Australia. I love Australians," he said on Friday."It has been such a privilege to be the leader of this great nation. I love Australia. I love Australians," he said on Friday.
"We have so much going for us in this country. We have to be proud of it and cherish it." Why was Turnbull forced out?
He had been staring down calls for his resignation as leadership speculation crippled his government. With an election looming, MPs were nervous about the government's poor opinion polling and recent by-election defeats.
He agreed to hold the ballot after a majority of party MPs signed a letter calling for it to take place. Last week, a row over energy policy ignited long-existing tensions between Mr Turnbull, a moderate, and his party's conservative wing.
Mr Morrison is a former Tourism Australia managing director who has held ministerial portfolios including immigration and social services. Mr Dutton, a conservative, then unsuccessfully challenged Mr Turnbull on Tuesday, but his narrow defeat only stoked further discord.
Mr Morrison entered the race after Mr Turnbull lost key backers. After a majority of MPs called for a leadership "spill", Mr Turnbull agreed to step down.
Who is Morrison?
Mr Morrison, a former Tourism Australia official, entered parliament in 2007 and has since held three key ministerial portfolios.
How has everyone reacted?
With a mixture of bemusement, anger and sheer frustration: many have described this week as one of the most chaotic in Australian political history.
In his final press briefing, Mr Turnbull called the week "madness" and thanked his colleagues for choosing Mr Morrison over Mr Dutton.
"We have so much going for us in this country. We have to be proud of it and cherish it," he said.
Mr Morrison is yet to speak publicly.
Mr Dutton said: "My course from here is to provide absolute loyalty to Scott Morrison, and make sure we win the election."
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was also in the running for the leadership, but did not make it to the final round.Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was also in the running for the leadership, but did not make it to the final round.
Week of chaos Why is Australian politics so turbulent?
The ballot on Friday ended one of the most dramatic weeks in Australian political history. On Tuesday, Mr Dutton narrowly lost a challenge against Mr Turnbull. The past decade has been marked by a series of leadership coups, with three other sitting prime ministers deposed by party rivals.
Mr Morrison and Ms Bishop entered the race after Mr Turnbull lost key backers, effectively making his leadership untenable.
Mr Dutton offered his congratulations to Mr Morrison on Friday.
"My course from here is to provide absolute loyalty to Scott Morrison, and make sure we win the election," he said.
Mr Morrison, Mr Turnbull and Ms Bishop did not immediately comment after the vote.
The past decade in Australian politics has been marked by a series of leadership coups, with three other sitting prime ministers deposed by party rivals.
Not a single leader in recent times has succeeded in serving a full three-year term as prime minister.Not a single leader in recent times has succeeded in serving a full three-year term as prime minister.
Who is Scott Morrison? Under the Australian system, as in the UK, the prime minister is not directly elected by voters but is the leader of the party or coalition that can command a majority in parliament.
But in recent years, prime ministers unpopular in the polls - or with their colleagues - have been swiftly sacrificed from within.