Victorian MPs urged by voters to keep Turnbull over Dutton

VOTERS have bombarded the office of many Victorian Liberal MPs, warning they won’t vote for a Peter Dutton-led government. One Liberal insider said Dutton would have to change to be electable here, saying: “It’s not redneck Queensland, it’s Melbourne.”

VOTERS have bombarded the office of many Victorian Liberal MPs with emails and phone calls warning they could not vote for a Peter Dutton-led government.

Marginal seat Liberals in Victoria have told the Herald Sun they have been urged by constituents to stick with Malcolm Turnbull or they would be forced to vote Labor.

Many of emails link Mr Dutton to former leader Tony Abbott, claiming they are “blood brothers” in their views of immigration and multiculturalism.

Supporters of the Prime Minister are warning Mr Dutton’s conservative leanings would run contrary to many traditional “liberal” Liberals, putting a number of city seats at risk.

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Peter Dutton addresses the media at Parliament House in Canberra, Picture: Rod McGuirk

One email, seen by the Herald Sun, from a long-time Liberal voter said: “Please don’t vote for Dutton. I want a leader who will govern for all Australians and help build a community where all are respected and encouraged.

“I would not be able to continue supporting you under Dutton and the dreadful way he behaves to migrants to this country etc,” it read.

Another email from a Liberal voter said: “If Peter Dutton becomes prime minister, I will NOT be voting Liberal for the first time since I voted for Robert Menzies. I do not think I will be alone.”

Government MPs in three of Victoria’s most marginal seats — Dunkley, Chisholm and Corangamite — all backed the prime minister in Tuesday morning’s party room leadership ballot.

Julia Banks, who holds the seat of Chisholm in Melbourne’s southeast on a margin of 2.8 per cent, said she supported Mr Turnbull “100 per cent” and believed her constituents agreed with her.

It was the only seat the Liberals won from Labor during the 2016 election campaign and was critical in forming a one-seat majority government.

“I got elected under the leadership of the Prime Minister because of his strength on the economy,” she told the Herald Sun.

“I was elected because of him, I have no doubt I would not have won that seat had Tony Abbott been prime minister.”

PM Malcolm Turnbull and Julia Banks in Box Hill.

Polling from left-wing activist group Get Up! on Monday night has found up to 50 per cent of Liberal voters in some Melbourne seats would ditch the Coalition if Mr Turnbull is ditched for the former Home Affairs minister.

When asked to choose directly between Mr Turnbull and Mr Dutton, 61.9 per cent backed the current prime minister.

Almost half, 49 per cent, said Dutton as leader would make them less likely to vote for the Coalition.

Mr Dutton, who moved to the backbench yesterday after losing a leadership ballot 48-35 hit the airwaves across Melbourne’s two most-listened to morning radio programs this morning, Triple M’s Hot Breakfast and 3AW mornings.

One Liberal insider said Mr Dutton would have to work hard to make himself electable to Victoria.

“It’s not redneck Queensland, it’s Melbourne. It’s diverse, it’s liberal and it’s an engaged electorate,” he said.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t embrace Mr Dutton. But he will have to undergo a rapid transformation.”