Peter Dutton sledged by Labor’s Richard Marles over his leadership ambitions

Peter Dutton has been likened to a hungry lion stalking Scott Morrison after a chaotic parliamentary week for the government.

Labor is zeroing in on its criticism of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s leadership, likening the chaotic parliamentary week to a David Attenborough documentary.

After a highly charged sitting week, Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles targeted his breakfast TV sparring partner Peter Dutton on Friday.

Mr Marles compared the Defence Minister to a lion seeking his prey – the Prime Minister.

Mr Morrison ended a brutal parliamentary week with leaks from his cabinet.

Mr Marles told the Nine Network on Friday the damaging revelation was the latest clear sign that Mr Morrison’s leadership was in trouble.

The deputy Labor leader also suggested it had been a “fantastic week” for the defence minister, who has been the subject of leadership speculation.

“It’s obviously been a train wreck of a week for Scott Morrison, (but) it’s been a fantastic week for Peter,” Mr Marles told Today.

“The whole week has played out with a kind of horrible inevitability of a David Attenborough documentary. The PM is looking like the slowest wildebeest of the herd, and we’ve seen Peter (Dutton’s) head popping up from behind the bushes like the lion licking his chops.”

Mr Dutton interjected, telling Mr Marles he “needed to get more sleep”.

“I can’t see him, but is he in his pyjamas or not? He’s just crazy talk this morning,” Mr Dutton said.

Mr Marles hit back, suggesting Mr Dutton was gunning for the Prime Minister’s job.

“Every time you (Mr Dutton) have gone to the dispatch box, the only thing Scott Morrison can hear is the music from Jaws,” Mr Marles said.

Mr Dutton responded: “Give me a break”.

The senior cabinet minister said “of course” Mr Morrison could trust people around him.

A week after damning texts from a cabinet minister to former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian called the Prime Minister a “complete psycho”, Mr Morrison’s leadership continues to come under fire.

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles has chided Peter Dutton about his leadership ambitions. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Multiple reports emerged on Thursday based on a leak from a confidential cabinet meeting earlier in the week.

According to the stories, Mr Morrison wanted to introduce legislation for a federal corruption watchdog in a trade off for support of the religious discrimination bill.

He failed to garner support for his proposal, and ultimately five Liberal MPs crossed the floor to vote with Labor and the crossbench over the contentious bill, demanding amendments to protect transgender students.

After the legislation passed the lower house, the government pulled it from debate in the Senate to avoid another humiliating defeat on the amendments.

Religious discrimination protections – a key Morrison government promise – are now unlikely to become law before the election, which is expected in May.

Originally published as Peter Dutton sledged by Labor’s Richard Marles over his leadership ambitions