Libspill: Gold Coast business and civic leaders demand Liberal Party end chaos

GOLD Coast business and political leaders have issued a scathing rebuke of the chaos which has engulfed the Coalition Government, demanding today’s expected party room meeting end the uncertainty plaguing the nation’s leadership.

THIS circus must end — That’s the message from Gold Coast business and civic leaders to the federal Coalition ahead of today’s leadership spill.

The implosion of the Turnbull Government is expected to come to a head at a noon party room meeting which could see Australia get its seventh Prime Minister in 11 years.

Treasurer Scott Morrison, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and former home affairs Minister Peter Dutton are all expected to be contenders.

TURNBULL’S DAYS AS PM ARE NUMBERED

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Picture Kym Smith

Farce enveloped Canberra yesterday when parliament was adjourned until September 10 and Mr Turnbull desperately tried to cling to office despite losing the support of most of his party.

Senior party sources who had hoped the leadership question could be solved quickly yesterday were fuming that Mr Turnbull blamed Mr Dutton for the long adjournment. They said the challenger had in fact only wanted the adjournment to last until Question Time at 2pm, allowing the spill to take place in the meantime.

Mr Turnbull holding a press conference. Picture Kym Smith

But Mr Turnbull insisted he would not call a party room meeting until a petition of MPs demanding it had 43 signatures – a number that Mr Dutton’s supporters claimed would be reached last night.

The Gold Coast is a blue ribbon conservative stronghold but some of the city’s most powerful figures say enough is enough. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, a long-serving LNP member, urged decision-makers to end the destructive infighting.

“What is playing out in Canberra is bad for the country – full stop,” he said last night.

“Business hates uncertainty, the share market hates uncertainty and Aussie families don’t elect their leaders to engage in this behaviour.

Mayor Tom Tate. Photo by Richard Gosling

“I won’t let the Gold Coast suffer so I will be straight on the phone to whoever the Prime Minister is, reminding them that we have a light rail system that needs further funding support, and that we are the epicentre of Australian tourism.”

Cr Tate urged the candidates for the Liberal Party leadership to keep the city and its tourism industry in mind.

“If I sense there’s any wavering, I’ll be straight on a plane to Canberra to ensure they get my message,’’ he said.

A leadership challenge is expected to be held today. Picture by Sean Davey.

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The Gold Coast’s five MPs went to ground yesterday as the leadership chaos consumed the Government.

All but Fadden MP Stuart Robert voted for Mr Dutton in this week’s first leadership spill.

Moncrieff MP Steven Ciobo yesterday resigned as Trade Minister and went to the backbench.

“Regrettably, it is clear to me the Prime Minister has lost the support of the Party Room and it is critical the leadership is resolved,” he tweeted.

Forde MP Bert van Manen – who had supported Peter Dutton in the initial party room vote – would not respond to requests for comment.

Mr Ciobo resigned after voting against Mr Turnbull. Picture Kym Smith

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His office insisted Mr van Manen was too preoccupied with “business as usual meetings”.

He later tweeted: “In spite of the distractions it’s business as usual for me today in Canberra hosting visitors including a great adventure for students and staff from Beenleigh’s Carbrook State School”.

McPherson MP Karen Andrews, who also is believed to have supported Mr Dutton, confirmed last night she had signed a petition calling for a leadership spill.

“What I think is important is the party meeting goes ahead and we resolve this,” she told ABC radio late yesterday.

“I don’t think this is good at all for Australia, we should be very focused on policy and achieving what we need to in the best interest of Australia so that is why I want to get it resolved.”

Ms Andrews refused to reveal who she voted for earlier this week and said she had yet to decide who she would vote for.

Member for Wright Scott Buchholz who is also believed to have supported Dutton was also unavailable, as was Fadden MP Mr Robert.

Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce president Martin Brady said the business community needed certainty from the nation’s leaders.

“It is no secret we are looking for certainty and having seven prime ministers in 11 years is far from that,” he said.

“We are concerned about the international reputational damage this is inflicting.

“I would hope the local politics would be supporting Gold Coast projects like the light rail going forward regardless of who is in charge.”

LIBSPILL TIMELINE:

THURSDAY, August 16: Peter Dutton says he will quit cabinet if he gets to a point where he cannot agree with government policy.

FRIDAY, August 17: Malcolm Turnbull weighs up significant changes to the National Energy Guarantee amid speculation about his leadership, including dumping the legislated emissions target.

SATURDAY: Dutton tweets his support for the Prime Minister and the policies of the Federal Government.

SUNDAY: Cabinet meets at parliament to discuss changes to energy policy. A Fairfax/Ipsos poll shows the Coalition’s primary vote has dropped from 39 to 33 in a month and Labor leads the coalition 55-45 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

MONDAY: Turnbull supporters insist he is safe. The PM drops the 26 per cent emissions cut target from NEG legislation. Turnbull says Dutton has given “absolute support” to him.

TUESDAY: Turnbull calls a spill and is challenged by Dutton, who loses 48-35. Dutton resigns from Cabinet. Several ministers offer resignations but Turnbull only accepts Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and Dutton.

WEDNESDAY: Dutton launches a media campaign calling for a royal commission into fuel and energy prices and scrapping the GST from electricity prices for families and pensioners.

He refuses to rule out a second leadership challenge.

Turnbull, flanked by Treasurer Scott Morrison and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, dumps corporate tax cuts after the plan was voted down in the Senate. Turnbull also ditches plans to axe an energy supplement paid to welfare recipients.

Morrison hugs Turnbull and says he’s ambitious for his leader, while also slapping down Dutton’s GST idea.

Cormann says he supports the Prime Minister.

A petition to force a Liberal partyroom meeting is circulated. Cormann, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash visit Turnbull to tell him he no longer has the support of the majority of the party room.

Turnbull accepts the resignation of his assistant minister James McGrath.

YESTERDAY: Junior minister Zed Seselja and Michael Sukkar resign from the frontbench. Cormann, Fifield and Cash again visit the prime minister to tell him he has lost support. They urge him to call a partyroom meeting.

Dutton demands a second leadership spill after telling Turnbull he has the support to become PM.

Cormann, Fifield and Cash pull their support for Turnbull and resign from Cabinet.

WHAT YOU SAY:

Tionee Greaves- “Ex Qld copper … Child Care blah, blah, Julie Bishop should be PM”.

Rebecca Conroy- “Snake”.

Graham Evans — “Let’s waste some more time”.

Sheree Crerar — “Yep. Labor will get in next election and Aussie will be in deep recession within 2 years. Giving it all away.”

Mez Robson — “Surely not being happy the electricity policy doesn’t constitute an upheaval of the government..... and we thought the younger generations felt entitled, seems half of the Liberal party feel entitled to being the PM, maybe they should just take a number and take turns at it.”

Roslyn Sullivan — “I know I definitely won’t be putting my vote towards any liberal that would support Dutton for PM it shows exactly their support for humanity by their support for him even snickering Tony would be a better contender.”

Allison Sultana — “Dutton as Prime Minister. hahahahahahah … nope”.

Wendy Turner — “Australian politics & politicians are a world wide joke.”

Dan James — “We all should vote another party in and knock out Labor and Liberal try something different if that doesn’t work try another until its does”.

Teena-Maree Dominko — “Snickering Tony has his grubby little mitts all over this. Dutton is just Tony markII.”

WHAT THE POLLIES SAY

Minister for Finance Senator Mathias Cormann: “The reality is that a minority in the party room supported by others outside the Parliament have sought to bully, intimidate others into making this change of leadership that they’re seeking.

“It’s been described by many people, including those who feel they cannot resist it as a form … of madness.”

“It’s with great sadness and a heavy heart that we went to see the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon to advise him that in our judgment he no longer enjoyed the support of the majority of members in the Liberal Party party room and that it was in the best interests of the Liberal Party to help manage an orderly transition to a new leader.

“We are very conscious of the seriousness of the decision that we’ve made,

“We didn’t take this decision lightly. Personally, I know that my colleagues also have anguished over this for some time.”

Member for Moncrieff Steven Ciobo: “I have resigned as Minister for Trade, Tourism & Investment. Serving as Minister has been an absolute honour. We have achieved much. Regrettably, it is clear to me the Prime Minister has lost the support of the Party Room and it is critical the leadership is resolved.”

Member for Forde Bert Van Manen: “In spite of the distractions it’s business as usual for me today in Canberra hosting visitors including a great adventure for students & staff from Beenleigh’s Carbrook State School”

Senator Michaelia Cash: “I became aware yesterday that it was very clear that the Prime Minister no longer, in my opinion, had the confidence of the party room,” -

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten: “The Liberals have shut down the Parliament and given up on governing Australia.

“My united and stable Labor team are ready to govern. We are 100% focused on delivering a fair go for all Australians.”

Member for Goldstein Tim Wilson: “For clarity: I have not been bullied or intimidated into signing the suicide note to call a leadership spill. People have politely asked me, and I declined. The people of Australia and Goldstein have been very clear what they want, and I hear them.”