Liberals add pressure over Peter Dutton’s High Court referral

SCOTT Morrison faces a crisis vote next week with two more Liberal MPs threatening to join Julie Bishop in backbench rebellion that could force Peter Dutton to the face the High Court.

SCOTT Morrison faces a crisis vote next week, with two more Liberal MPs threatening to join Julie Bishop in a backbench rebellion that could force Peter Dutton to face the High Court.

The two MPs have told the Herald Sun they are considering voting with Labor to force the High Court to rule on whether Mr Dutton is ineligible to sit in Parliament.

“He should do the right thing and refer himself,” one said.

JULIE BISHOP BREAKS SILENCE ON DUTTON’S ELIGIBILITY

HIGH COURT SHOULD DECIDE PETER DUTTON’S FATE

NO CONFIDENCE MOTION TO BE MOVED AGAINST DUTTON

If the two MPs were to join former foreign affairs minister Ms Bishop in voting to refer Mr Dutton to the High Court, Labor would have the numbers on the floor of the House of Representatives with the support of four crossbenchers.

Ms Bishop said on Thursday there was a “need for clarity” on the issue.

Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton’s eligibility to sit in Parliament has been brought into question. Picture: AAP

The former deputy leader’s intervention came after former PM Malcolm Turnbull tweeted from New York that he supported sending Mr Dutton to the court based on advice from the Commonwealth Solicitor-General.

The Herald Sun understands the rebels plan to use the threat of crossing the floor to force the Prime Minister to refer Mr Dutton to the High Court to avoid the government being defeated on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Last month a Labor-sponsored move to refer Mr Dutton was defeated by only one vote.

Labor is expected to revisit the issue next week with a greater chance of success because the government is one member down since Mr Turnbull resigned from Parliament last Friday.

Two more Liberal MPs threatening to join Julie Bishop in a backbench rebellion that could force Peter Dutton to face the High Court. Picture: AAP

Mr Dutton’s eligibility to sit in Parliament has been brought into question because of his family’s ownership of two childcare centres that have a financial relationship with the Commonwealth. He said on Thursday Mr Turnbull knew all of the details of the case when he was PM.

“He never asked me for the legal advice that I had that showed I had no problem at all and the first that was ever mentioned by Malcolm Turnbull was during the leadership week,” Mr Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB.

Mr Morrison tried to calm tensions on Thursday, saying: “I obviously have a lot of respect for the former prime minister, but as the Prime Minister now, I will make the decisions I believe are in the best interests of the nation.”

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