Reeling Liberal MPs rally behind Malcolm Turnbull

COALITION MPs appear to be rallying behind Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as the party reels from the loss of a swag of seats and the struggle to rebuild.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks to media at his Sydney office after yesterday’s federal election. Picture: Cameron Richardson

COALITION MPs appear to be rallying behind Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as the party reels from the loss of a swag of seats and the possibility they could lose majority government after just one term.

Conservative MPs who had voted for Tony Abbott in the leadership coup in September 2015 were yesterday indicating they intended to lock in behind Mr Turnbull, at least in the short to medium term, as the party struggles to rebuild.

But recriminations had begun, with several MPs targeting Treasurer Scott Morrison and Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer, blaming them for the Government’s controversial superannuation policy which infuriated large parts of the Liberals’ supporter base.

And the support for Mr Turnbull seems more pragmatic than impassioned, with one MP commenting that there was “no-one else’’ the party could support.

“I think he’ll win (majority),’’ said one. “We can’t change leaders. Morrison has been found wanting as Treasurer, Bishop has not got the runs on the board and there is no-one else.’’

Malcolm Turnbull leaves his Point Piper home in Sydney after a long night of vote counting. Picture: Cameron Richardson

Another said he believed the knife-edge result could be the making of Mr Turnbull “if we just get in and govern well”, pointing to John Howard’s narrow 1998 election, where he was almost beaten but went on to improve his vote and remain Prime Minister until 2007.

Mr Turnbull is likely to come under pressure to give more ground to the conservative wing of the party, although he again resisted suggestions that Mr Abbott be brought back to his front bench.

Mr Abbott yesterday refused to speculate on whether the result might have been stronger if he had been PM.

“I did what I could to be a good local candidate, to do what I could for my colleagues in a low-key way around the country,” he said.

“(Malcolm Turnbull) certainly campaigned very strongly, and towards the end I thought he hit his straps, but yes this is a very tight result, that’s all I can say.”

Conservative warrior Cory Bernardi also expressed frustration, tweeting to the Liberal pollster Mark Textor “hey Tex, I’m thinking conservatives actually do matter.’’

Disaffected Abbott supporter, Senator Eric Abetz, also raised concerns publicly about the superannuation policy.

But another Liberal MP said the party needed to unite behind Mr Turnbull. “We cannot change another leader,’’ the MP said.

Two other MPs blamed Mr Abbott for the success of Labor’s Medicare scare campaign, saying it had bitten because Labor had convinced people Mr Turnbull could not be trusted when he promised no changes to Medicare.

They said Mr Abbott had caused this problem by breaking his election eve promise in 2013 of “no cuts to health or education.”

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