Emotional Julie Bishop defends her decision to turn on Tony Abbott

JULIE Bishop struggled to maintain her composure on live TV this morning as she defended her controversial decision to turn on Tony Abbott.

A TEARFUL Julie Bishop has defended her decision to turn on her former boss Tony Abbott, ousting him from the prime ministership after a leadership challenge by Malcolm Turnbull.

“I did what a deputy (leader) has to do and that is to reflect the views of the party,” Ms Bishop told the TodayShow.

“Tony asked for six months to turn it around and unfortunately that hadn’t happened.

“It became obvious to me that the majority of the party had lost confidence in Tony (and) I informed him as is my duty as deputy.”

Asked how Mr Abbott had taken the news, the normally stoic Ms Bishop struggled to contain her emotions.

“He was calm, he was obviously very hurt. I feel for Tony, I feel for (his wife) Margie and his daughters, and I know what stresses and strains the leadership were under.

“I think there were tears shed,” she said, her voice breaking.

“I’m not enjoying this.

“It’s not easy being the deputy of the party.”

Asked by Today host Karl Stefanovic if she had “blood on her hands” as former Labor PM Julia Gillard was once accused, Ms Bishop said she was “aware of the parallels.”

But she said the difference was at the last leadership ballot in February, Mr Abbott asked for six months to improve the government’s fortunes but had been unable to manage it.

“Through that time, nobody wanted Tony to succeed more than I (but) the vast majority of the party room had lost confidence in him.”

A tired-looking Julie Bishop struggled to contain her emotions as Today Show host Karl Stefanovic grilled her about knifing Tony Abbott.

Malcolm Turnbull won last night’s leadership challenge 54 votes to Tony Abbott’s 44, while Ms Bishop was reelected deputy leader with a resounding 70 votes to 30.

Before the vote, Treasurer Joe Hockey, who backed Abbott to the last and is expected to lose his job today, blasted the “outrageous disloyalty” of some of his colleagues.

But Ms Bishop said the Liberal party had done what was needed.

“What we must do is move on,” she told the program.

The interview was a coup for Channel Nine’s breakfast show, which got one up on their Channel Seven rivals thanks to last night’s dramatic leadership spill.

While the Today Show broadcasts live from the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra this morning, the Sunrise crew are stuck in London in a case of terrible timing for Kochie, Sam and the rest of the gang, who this week are broadcasting from a different country each day. Sunrise later interviewed Ms Bishop via a live cross.

Heading in to work as Prime Minister designate this morning, Mr Turnbull said he was getting on with the job.

“There has been a change ... but we are a very, very strong government, a strong country with a lot of potential and we will realise that potential by working together.”

NSW Liberal Premier Mike Baird expressed his sympathy for Tony Abbott’s hurt.

“Politics can be brutal,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“What can be lost in the rough and tumble is the people, and the relationships.

I’ve known Tony Abbott for close to 15 years and I am proud to call him a mate. He will be hurting. So will his wonderful wife Margie and his girls. As their friend, I hurt with them.

Many of those throwing stones don’t see the heart behind the man who has spent decades volunteering at the local surf club or working a shift with the Rural Fire Service… not for political gain, but for the simple reason that he loves his community.”