'A dangerous dynamic': Cormann to blame for Turnbull's axing, says Craig Laundy

One of Malcolm Turnbull's closest allies has blamed Finance Minister Mathias Cormann for the former prime minister's ousting and warned that even the Morrison government's extraordinary federal election win has not erased the underlying problem with Australia's political culture.

Former frontbencher Craig Laundy, who quit Parliament after the leadership spill, said there was an unmoving culture of backstabbing in Australian politics and that not even Prime Minister Scott Morrison was immune to the "amazing array of egos" in his partyroom.

Mathias Cormann withdrew his support for Malcolm Turnbull the day before the final leadership ballot.Credit: AAP

The publican said Mr Turnbull would likely still be prime minister if Mr Cormann had not abandoned him in a dramatic press conference one day before Mr Morrison became leader.

"It all depended on whether we kept Mathias with us. If we get out of that week and we've still got Mathias rock-solid with us, I really think we could have survived," Mr Laundy said while launching Venom: Vendettas, Betrayals and the Price of Power, a recount of the week-long leadership spill written by this masthead's chief political editor, David Crowe.

The first of two leadership ballots that ended Mr Turnbull's prime ministership was held one year ago on Wednesday.

Former Liberal Minister Craig Laundy speaks during the launch of David Crowe's book Venom.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The anniversary is likely to refocus attention on the spill amid a claim from Mr Laundy that despite several books detailing the week, there was "still plenty to come out" about the events.

Mr Turnbull won the first leadership spill 48 votes to 35 in what was seen as a blow to his authority over the party room.

Mr Cormann stood alongside senior ministers Mitch Fifield and Michaelia Cash the day before Mr Morrison became prime minister to say Mr Turnbull had lost his party's faith.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, former foreign minister Julie Bishop and Mr Morrison contested a second leadership ballot three days later after Mr Turnbull stood aside when a 43-name petition in favour of a second spill was presented to him.

Mr Morrison won the final ballot with 45 votes to Mr Dutton's 40 in what was the fourth time a Prime Minister has been removed from office by his or her partyroom colleagues since 2010.

Mr Laundy said that culture had not been erased by the Morrison government's extraordinary victory at May's federal election.

"[For] a lot of people, the path forward is to tear down somebody in front of you," he said. "And that's a dangerous dynamic. There are backbenchers that have come in in '13 and '16 who will undoubtedly get itchy feet."

"Then it becomes a matter of how Scott manages the personnel and the changes over time, to keep the amazing array of egos focussing in the right direction."

Debate has raged over whether Mr Morrison's ascent to Prime Minister - coming after stints in the immigration, social services and treasury portfolios - was an accidental or deliberate.

Scott Morrison displayed public support for Malcolm Turnbull two days before replacing him.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

It is now widely accepted that some Morrison supporters backed Mr Dutton in the first leadership ballot, inflating his numbers and weakening the authority of Mr Turnbull.

Backed by henchmen Steve Irons, Stuart Robert and Alex Hawke, Mr Morrison outmanoeuvred the Dutton camp to become a compromise option viewed as more likely to win a federal election.

The Prime Minister lead the Coalition to a historic victory over Labor at the May 18 federal election, overcoming what had been a ten-point post-spill polling gap to clinch the ballot with 77 lower house seats.

David Crowe, who is the chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, wrote Venom: Vendettas, Betrayals and the Price of Power (HarperCollins, $35). It is out now.

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