Alex Turnbull describes Malcolm Turnbull’s disappearance from public life as ‘major improvement’

Alex Turnbull has described his father’s disappearance from public life as a “major improvement” to other former PMs.

Alex Turnbull, son of former PM Malcolm Turnbull.

Alex Turnbull has described his father’s disappearance from public life as a “major improvement” to other former prime ministers, while urging voters “to stop the rot” in the Liberal Party by not supporting them at Saturday’s by-election in the blue-ribbon seat of Wentworth.

In an interview on ABC’s Drive program this evening, the Singapore-based banker denied acting as a proxy for his father, who was ousted as prime minister in August, instead telling host Patricia Karvelas he hadn’t sought Mr Turnbull’s approval for speaking-out against the Liberal party and “wouldn’t get it if I asked.”

When questioned why his father hadn’t publicly backed Liberal candidate Dave Sharma in his former seat of Wentworth, Mr Turnbull said: “I think given the previous record of prime ministers being very vocal, it is probably a major improvement to have people disappear from public life when they are done with it.”

The younger Turnbull also poured cold water over the suggestion he wanted to follow his father’s political footsteps, saying: “I have no interest in being part of the Liberal party if this is the road it’s going down.” However, he said he might consider representing the Liberals if he could ensure “the National Party isn’t infiltrated by Nazis.”

On his decision to publicly speak-out against the Liberals ahead of the pivotal by-election, for which the Coalition must retain the seat to keep its one seat majority in the House of Representatives, Mr Turnbull said the Liberals’ inability to secure a coherent energy policy or address climate change was “more or less” the deal breaker.

“I think it would be a more powerful message if they lost a seat which has previously been safe, so that maybe they would have a period of self reflection.”

He also accused the government of “playing student politics” and said he had become increasingly vocal because he had seen what had happened in the United States with Donald Trump when “culture wars” took precedence over policy discussions.

Since his father’s ousting, Mr Turnbull has become increasingly vocal about his political opinions, posting a series of messages criticising the Liberal party.

After publicly voicing his support for Wentworth Labor candidate Tim Murray, Mr Turnbull last week issued an explosive social media video message on Friday, saying his father’s former party had been taken over by “extremists” on the hard right and required an “intervention.”

He argued a general election was due next year, which provided voters with an opportunity to “send a signal about which way the Liberal Party is going and your displeasure at where it is going.”

Mr Turnbull told the ABC he hadn’t spoken out while his father was in office because the Liberals had been “making pretty good head way” and it “wouldn’t have been constructive at all.”