Leadership struggle: ‘It’s about how and when’

TONY Abbott’s leadership is again under threat, with his apparent successor Malcolm Turnbull reportedly having the numbers to topple him.

JUST hours after Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s leadership woes were reheated last night, his successor was announced publicly.

The PM’s last minute cancellation at a Sydney book launch meant he had to send someone in his place, and Malcolm Turnbull was more than happy to step into his shoes, and to be introduced as “the next prime minister”, Fairfax reports.

The event followed fresh reports that Mr Turnbull now had the numbers to mount a successful leadership challenge, and with that came news that quips from the public were the least of Mr Abbott’s worries.

Is it on? ... Turnbull would not be drawn on leadership speculation. Pic: Gary Ramage

While the Prime Minister was in North Queensland assisting with cyclone relief, and Turnbull was enjoying speculation in Sydney, MPs were reportedly working the phones trying to work out if Mr Abbott’s leadership would survive beyond the May budget, the Herald Sun reports.

Less than three weeks after Mr Abbott was narrowly saved in a spill vote, senior ministers have said what started as a backbench revolt has bled into the front bench, The Daily Telegraph reports.

One minister has reportedly described the mood in cabinet as “extremely volatile”, while those who still have Abbott’s support are saying it would be “madness” to try another spill so soon after the last.

After the spill vote which Abbott survived 61-39, it was reported at least six ministers had broken ranks and voted for the spill.

Now it seems that group has grown with reports support for the alternative leader would now allow a leadership change, and according to the Telegraph, the only thing the group has to decide is whether to make a move “sooner rather than later”.

Speaking on Today this morning, Labor MP Anthony Albanese assured “a challenge is coming”.

“As sure as the sun will come up, Tony Abbott’s leadership is over,” he said.

“It’s now about when it happens, and how, and who replaces him.”

On the question of how, the Telegraphreports supporters of Mr Turnbull would prefer Mr Abbott resigned.

Mr Turnbull would not be drawn on leadership speculation at the Sydney function last night.

“I’m a member of parliament so I talk to my colleagues in my own time,” he told reporters.

“Really ... I’ll leave you guys to speculate about all that stuff.”

Speaking on Today this morning, Education Minister Christopher Pyne said he was confident the spill motion “was decided two weeks ago”.

“There was a bit of static on the television last night,” he said, referring to Seven and ABC news reports the leadership challenge was back on.

“There will be not be a spill next week.”

The Prime Minister and his loyal Communications Minister in Canberra yesterday. Pic: Gary Ramage

Speaking from cyclone-affected Rockhampton this morning, the Prime Minister dismissed rumbles saying he is “getting on with government” and ignoring “Canberra gossip”.

“I’m not going to be distracted and none of my ministers are going to be distracted,” he told reporters.

“Other people can obsess about this kind of insider gossip, but I’m certainly not going to.”

From his Sydney home, Mr Turnbull said he would not “fuel this continued speculation” about the leadership”.

“As a member of the government I don’t welcome talk about the leadership or instability,” he said.

The latest leadership struggle follows the unsuccessful spill on February 9 — where the result was relatively tight, even without a challenger to Mr Abbott.

Mr Turnbull, regarded as the most likely leadership contender, didn’t stand or even indicate where he stood on the leadership.

The vote did show that internal disaffection — stoked by poor polls and the rout of Queensland’s LNP government at their state election — was substantially greater than even many government insiders realised.

An immediate casualty was chief whip Philip Ruddock, regarded as having an insufficient grasp of party thinking. He was dumped in favour of Queenslander Scott Buchholz.

Tony Abbott was visiting Queenslanders affected by Cyclone Marcia, and taking selfies. Picture: David Foote

However, one government insider and Abbott supporter said Mr Turnbull didn’t have the numbers.

He said this latest leadership speculation was down to the same few disaffected MPs as last time, who were trying to beat up support for Mr Turnbull.

“The vast majority of people know we can’t win the election with Malcolm as leader, because with Malcolm as leader we would lose a chunk of our base and no party has ever won an election without its base,” he told AAP.