Prime Minister faces fresh coup as Victorian MP among at least six ministers offering resignation

MALCOLM Turnbull faces a likely second challenge, after four of his Cabinet voted to desert him and at least six ministers — including a junior minister from Victoria — offered to resign.

MALCOLM Turnbull faces a likely second challenge, after four of his Cabinet voted to desert him and at least six ministers offered to resign.

Supporters of challenger Peter Dutton — who quit his Cabinet post as Home Affairs Minister — said there could be another coup ­attempt within weeks, if not days.

Mr Turnbull called a snap leadership spill on Tuesday to avoid a planned hit, defeating Mr Dutton by 48 votes to 35.

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But the government remains in turmoil after Mr Dutton gained the greatest ­support of a first-time challenger to a PM in 40 years.

In a day of high drama, six ministers — Mr Dutton, James McGrath, Angus Taylor, Zed Seselja, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and Victoria’s Michael Sukkar — offered to quit, admitting they no longer supported the PM.

But Mr Turnbull on Tuesday night urged them to remain as long as they pledged support to the government.

A group of Victorian MPs, including ministers Greg Hunt, Alan Tudge and Mr Sukkar, emerged as a key group of plotters.

Mr Sukkar is the only one to have offered to resign.

Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar has offered his resignation. Picture: AAP

Mr Dutton moved to the backbench, despite Mr Turnbull inviting him to remain as Home Affairs Minister, and would not rule out challenging for the top job again.

He needs the support of only seven more MPs, and his supporters say he could move again as soon as Thursday.

Several Liberal MPs told the Herald Sun on Tuesday that Mr Turnbull’s leadership was now “terminal” and it was now “a matter of when, not if” he lost the top job.

An embattled PM, deputy Julie Bishop beside him, urged the party room to unite following the spill result, warning that any further division would deliver a Labor government.

“Unity is critical,” Mr Turnbull said. “We cannot allow … our internal issues to undermine our work, to create a risk, a real risk, that (Opposition Leader) Bill Shorten will be the prime minister.”

Mr Dutton said he challenged the PM after the leadership was declared vacant. He repeatedly failed to rule out challenging again, saying he had failed to win the support of his colleagues “today”.

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The 47-year-old, who was elected to parliament in 2001, has served on the Coalition front bench since the Howard government.

He ran on a platform of lowering electricity prices, ­addressing congestion-busting infrastructure in cities, and ­addressing immigration levels.

“I believe I had the best prospect of leading the Liberal Party to success at the next election,” Mr Dutton said.

The support of Treasurer Scott Morrison, who has inherited Mr Dutton’s portfolio, ­appears to be critical to the ­future of Mr Turnbull.

It was widely speculated that Mr Hunt, the Health Minister, would have formed a ticket with Mr Dutton as his deputy should he have won.

Multiple MPs from both camps told the Herald Sun Mr Hunt was a key player in the plot to oust Mr Turnbull.

Mr Dutton was also supported by Mr Hunt’s fellow Victorians Mr Tudge, Mr ­Sukkar, Kevin Andrews, Jason Wood and James Paterson.

But Mr Hunt said the ballot was secret and “the party room made their decision. I support the Prime Minister”.

Human Services Minister Michael Keenan and Trade Minister Steve Ciobo are also understood to have discussed their futures with Mr Turnbull.

Former PM Tony Abbott clashed with colleagues in the party room, later declaring that “unity has to be created and loyalty has to be earned”.

Mr Shorten said he was “ready to serve” should an election be called, telling his MPs the PM had “looked into the abyss and the abyss looked straight back at him”.

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