Christopher Pyne apologises for ‘unhelpful’ comments

EMBATTLED minister Christopher Pyne has apologised to the Liberal Party for his “unhelpful” comments, which have fuelled anger among his conservative colleagues.

Christopher Pyne apologised to the Liberal Party for his “unhelpful” comments. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

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EMBATTLED minister Christopher Pyne on Wednesday night apologised to the Liberal Party for his “unhelpful” comments which have fuelled anger among his conservative colleagues.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faced calls to sack the veteran frontbencher after he was heard on a leaked recording bragging over the removal of Tony Abbott from the Liberal leadership two years ago.

Mr Pyne told branch members in his South Australian electorate of Sturt he was “very sorry” that his comments at an event last Friday — leaked to the Herald Sun — had “caused such a distraction for the government”.

“I apologise to anyone they have offended,’’ he said.

The recording also revealed Mr Pyne and fellow MPs in the Turnbull Government’s moderate faction were planning on revisiting the contentious same-sex marriage issue “sooner than everyone thinks”.

Christopher Pyne apologised to the Liberal Party for his “unhelpful” comments. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

He also bragged to the factional gathering at the Liberal’s federal council that the faction was now “in the winners’ circle” after outsing the conservative Mr Abbott.

The former PM said he “understands” why fellow Coalition MPs would be pushing for the Defence Industry Minister to step down as Leader of the House.

Mr Abbott lashed out angrily after the tape was leaked accusing Mr Pyne of disloyalty and not being “fair dinkum with the Australian people”.

Mr Pyne said on Wednesday night Mr Turnbull ran a “tight knit, traditional cabinet government” that was “inclusive of all strands of thought across the party”.

“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,” he said.

Mr Turnbull dismissed tensions with the Liberal Party, accusing the media of having a fixation on leadership politics and saying the Australian people were “not interested in the personalities among politicians.”