Liberal Party leadership: Gold Coast MP Steven Ciobo resigns as Trade Minister

THE Gold Coast’s most senior federal MP has resigned from Cabinet after abandoning his support for embattled Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. He reveals his reasons why.

THE Gold Coast’s most senior federal MP has resigned from Cabinet after abandoning his support for embattled Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Moncrieff MP Steven Ciobo has resigned as Trade Minister as the battle for the Liberal Party’s leadership comes to a head.

Mr Ciobo, previously a long-term supporter of Mr Turnbull, voted for Peter Dutton in this week’s leadership spill and offered to resign but this was turned down by the PM.

Steven Ciobo and Malcolm Turnbull. Picture Kym Smith

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Mr Ciobo this morning resigned from his post ahead of a spill, expected to occur this afternoon.

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.

— Steven Ciobo (@StevenCiobo) August 23, 2018

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“I have resigned as Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Serving as Minister has been an absolute honour. We have achieved much,” he said.

“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.”

Mr Ciobo was elected to Parliament in 2001.

MPs slammed over spill

GOLD Coast-based Federal MPs are copping abuse from constituents after voting for Peter Dutton in the leadership dispute.

Labor candidates in marginal Coast seats are using the ugly split and leadership challenge to boost their support.

The Bulletin in a report on Wednesday outlined how Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had lost the support of Moncrieff MP Steve Ciobo, McPherson MP Karen Andrews, Forde MP Bert van Manen and Wright MP Scott Buchholz.

Fadden MP Stuart Robert declined to disclose his vote but indicated “if you are in the executive, you have to support the PM”.

Main Beach community leader Sue Donovan in a letter to Mr Ciobo wrote: “As one of you constituents, I was disappointed—actually disgusted—to learn of your treachery in voting in favour of Peter Dutton as Prime Minister.

“I would have expected, that as a senior minister in the Turnbull government, you would have had the moral fibre to stand up for your leader.

“In taking the action that you have, you have contributed to a massive loss to the LNP in the next election.

Naturally, I will never be able to vote for you again.”

Mr Stuart on his Facebook page was criticised for “starting this whole sad business of constant naval gazing” by backing Mr Turnbull in the last leadership spill with then Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

On Mr van Manen’s page, a constituent wrote: “Please tell us that you didn’t vote Dutton – a puppet for the right-wing conservatives in the Liberal Party. This has Darth Abbott’s fingerprints all over it.”

Another constituent wrote: “Maybe if the LNP stopped destabilising Turnbull and actually let him led (sic) the centre you might have a chance at the next election.”

In a post another resident accused the MPS of being “backstabbers” who only thought of their pay packets.

“”They have not got the interest of their electorate of the Australian people as number one priority,” the resident wrote.

Forde Labor candidate Des Hardman posting on his Facebook page in one of the nation’s most marginal seats, on the northern Coast, said families were the biggest losers in the Liberal “civil war”.

Residents in their posts backed him, saying they would vote for Labor.

“They don’t care about the problems facing Australian families, Des. That is what Parliament is for, to serve the people. Looking forward to a Labor government,” a resident wrote.