Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne makes grovelling apology over leaked speech which ignited Liberal Party brawl

EMBATTLED Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne made a grovelling apology over his leaked speech which ignited a brawl within the party.

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EMBATTLED Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne made a grovelling apology over his leaked speech which ignited a brawl within the party.

After days of turmoil where Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and senior ministers were forced to defend him, Mr Pyne said at the Sturt Federal Election Conference AGM on Wednesday that he was wrong and regretted his “unwise and damaging” remarks.

“I’m very sorry that my comments at an event last Friday have caused such a distraction for the government,” he said. “I apologise to anyone they have offended.’’

“My remarks were ill chosen and unwise and I can see how unhelpful and damaging they have been,” Mr Pyne said last night.

In a closed door speech on Friday to about 150 left faction allies who Mr Pyne called the “winning circle”, he claimed dominance over the party’s right wing, and suggested same-sex marriage would become legal before the next election.

In a tape obtained by The Advertiser’s columnist Andrew Bolt, Mr Pyne also boasted he had always backed PM Malcolm Turnbull, despite having been on the Abbott Government’s front bench.

The comments outraged his conservative colleagues and some demanded he be stripped of his powerful position as Leader of the House.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott accused Mr Pyne, who he shared more than 20 years of friendship with, of disloyalty.

In a sign that Mr Turnbull was considering action, The Advertiser understands the PM had sent out party whips to test the mood among MPs.

About 20 MPs were believed to have pressed for Mr Pyne to be dropped as Leader of the House and some want a sharper penalty, and have called for him to lose his prized Defence Industry ministry.

“The disappointing thing about this is when we should be talking about lowering the cost of electricity and growing jobs we’re caught talking about ourselves again,” one MP said.

“Strong action needs to be taken. It was a massive error of judgment on Christopher Pyne’s part.”

In a clear sign Mr Pyne was feeling the wrath of his right wing colleagues, he last night walked away from his comments that his faction was “winning”.

“The truth is, Malcolm Turnbull runs a tight knit, traditional cabinet government that is inclusive of all strands of thought across the party,” he said.

“The inclusion of the members of the Party Room has been outstanding and the team in Canberra has felt very much part of the decision making process.

“The Liberal Party has long been the crucible of both liberal and conservative thought and values.

“That is the secret of our success and has only been enhanced in the Turnbull Government.”

MPs were concerned that the internal dispute was stopping the Government’s attempts to sell to the public the Gonski 2.0 school funding reforms, which were passed by Parliament last week.

The reforms were considered a major win for Education Minister and SA Senator Simon Birmingham, Mr Pyne’s close factional ally.

One senior Liberal MP accused some conservatives of overreacting to the Pyne speech because they were positioning themselves for promotion for the next ministerial reshuffle.

But others said Mr Pyne’s enemies within the party had long been looking for a chink in his armour to be exposed.

Last night’s apology came at the end of a day in which senior ministers tried to quell talk of a rebellion.

Mr Turnbull, Attorney-General George Brandis and Senator Birmingham were among those talking down the rumours on moves to demote Mr Pyne.

Mr Turnbull yesterday dismissed tensions with the Liberal party.

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