Peter Dutton fails in second bid for leadership

SCOTT Morrison is Australia’s next prime minister defeating Peter Dutton in a close race after Malcolm Turnbull resigned. Mr Dutton congratulated Mr Morrison and offered his loyalty as he left the party room meeting where he lost the leadership ballot 45 votes to 40.

SCOTT Morrison is Australia’s next prime minister defeating Peter Dutton in a close race after Malcolm Turnbull resigned.

Mr Dutton congratulated Mr Morrison and offered his loyalty as he left the party room meeting where he lost the leadership ballot 45 votes to 40.

“Congratulations to Scott Morrison, Julia Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull. Julie Bishop has been an amazing Foreign Minister for the party. My job is to provide loyalty to Scott Morrison and make sure we win the election,” Mr Dutton said.

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Australian Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison arrives for the Liberal Party room meeting today. Picture: AAP

Peter Dutton and Mathias Cormann having dinner in Kingston last night. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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Leaving the party room meeting flanked Josh Frydenberg, who was elected deputy leader, Mr Morrison said he would comment on the outcome later today.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott, who had been a key figure in the rebellion against Mr Turnbull and supporter of Mr Dutton, said his colleagues now needed to focus on saving the government.

“We have lost the prime minister, there is a government to save,” Mr Abbott said.

“That’s what all of us will do our best to do now, to save the government.

Mathias Cormann and Peter Dutton. Picture: Kym Smith

“As we have been reminding ourselves, we are the custodians of great logical traditions. The liberal tradition of smaller government, greater freedom, lower taxes, the conservative traditional support for families, small business and values and institutions that have stood the rich test of time.

“But above all we are patriots, we want to make the country is strong and as good as it possibly can be, based on the wonderful achievements we already have to our name.”

Mr Turnbull called a spill motion which was carried 45 votes to 40, meaning almost half the party room wanted Mr Turnbull to stay in power.

Mr Dutton, Mr Morrison and Julie Bishop contested a three-way contest to replace him, with Ms Bishop eliminated first after getting the lowest vote. Mr Morrison defeated Mr Dutton in the next round by five votes, 45 to 40.

The meeting had been expected to start at midday but was delayed while the 43 signatures on a petition calling for the meeting were verified.

Mr Turnbull demanded his detractors present him with a petition proving the majority of the party room wanted another meeting before he would agree to call it.

Julie Bishop arriving for Liberal Leadership spill at Parliament House in Canberra today. Picture: Kym Smith

Scott Morrison

Numbers up … Michaelia Cash and Mathias Cormann abandoned Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: AAP Image/Sam Mooy

Greg Hunt, who resigned as health minister this week to support Mr Dutton, had hoped to be deputy leader but after losing the ballot paid tribute to the new leadership team.

“Two incredible people, two incredible friends of mine have been elected as prime minister and deputy leader of the Liberal Party,” he said.

“Scott and Josh I had known for an extraordinary amount of time, they are amazing people, they will take the party forward as the next-generation leadership team. They will put a fresh face on it.”

Mr Hunt said the party now must move forward.

“The line has been drawn under a decade this is a moment of unity for the party,” he said.

Peter Dutton in the back seat arriving at Parliament House in Canberra today. Picture: Kym Smith

AS THE WORLD TURNBULLS

2016

July

The coalition scrapes back into power with a one-seat majority, scoring 50.4 per cent of the two-party vote

November

Proposed same-sex marriage plebiscite is defeated in the Senate

December

Government passes controversial backpacker tax

2017

January

Turnbull reshuffles cabinet after an expenses scandal forces the resignation of health minister Sussan Ley

February

PM hoses down reports he was berated by US President Donald Trump over a refugee swap deal

Cory Bernardi quits the Liberals to start his own Australian Conservatives party

March

Small business tax cuts pass parliament, but broader plan stalls

April

Turnbull unveils plans to make it harder to become an Australian citizen

May

Treasurer Scott Morrison hands down his second budget, announcing a gradual thaw of the Medicare rebate freeze that almost cost Turnbull the election

June

New bank levy clears parliament

Turnbull responds to Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s review of the energy market with new rules to restrict gas exports and a plan to scrap a process that allows power companies to raise prices

Major school funding overhaul, aka Gonski 2.0, clears parliament with crossbench support

July

Citizenship debacle begins with Greens senator Scott Ludlam resigning. Coalition two-party position slips to 45 per cent.

August

Pauline Hanson wears a burqa in parliament. Attorney-General George Brandis describes it as an “appalling thing to do”

September

Cabinet minister Fiona Nash and crossbencher Nick Xenophon referred to the High Court over their dual citizenship

October

The High Court boots Barnaby Joyce from parliament because of his dual New Zealand citizenship, while federal minister Matt Canavan and Nick Xenophon can remain

November

61.6 per cent of Australians say yes to same-sex marriage in a postal survey

Turnbull announces a royal commission into misconduct in the financial sector

December

Barnaby Joyce wins by-election and tells parliament that he is separated

Same-sex marriage is legalised after new laws clear federal parliament

Labor senator Sam Dastyari quits parliament over his Chinese donor connections

2018

January

Turnbull pledges a year of “rewards” for Australians after two years of economic reforms

February

After news of his affair with a former staffer breaks in the media, Barnaby Joyce resigns as deputy prime minister and Nationals leader

March

Turnbull says Liberal win in South Australian election is an endorsement of the government’s energy plan

April

Turnbull loses his 30th consecutive Newspoll and shrugs it off as ministers rally around him

May

Katy Gallagher case in the High Court leads to more citizenship resignations, this time on the Labor side and crossbencher Rebekha Sharkie

June

The government’s $144 billion personal income tax cut plan passes parliament

July

A “super Saturday” of five by-elections brings no wins for the government, with four seats returning to Labor and one crossbench MP

August

Barnaby Joyce and Tony Abbott speak out over the direction of the government. * Malcolm Turnbull defeats Peter Dutton 48-35 in a party room leadership ballot. Dutton resigns from frontbench.

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