Liberals turn on Malcolm Turnbull for airing dirty laundry with release of texts

Conservative Libs condemned Malcolm Turnbull for ­releasing private text messages from Mathias Cormann.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: AAP

Conservative Liberals have condemned Malcolm Turnbull for ­releasing private text messages with cabinet minister Mathias Cormann after the leadership spill that ended his prime ministership.

South Australian MP Tony Pasin said Mr Turnbull should not have released confidential communications with his former friend and parliamentary colleague.

“Private discussions should remain private. The fact this material has been shared in this way is entirely consistent with the behaviour of Malcolm Turnbull since he has left the parliament,” Mr Pasin said.

The Australian on Monday ­revealed excerpts from Mr Turnbull’s upcoming biography that ­included text messages between the former prime minister and Senator Cormann after the second leadership vote of August 2018.

Malcolm Turnbull's texts, as revealed in Media Diary.

Senator Cormann had surprised Mr Turnbull by switching his support in favour of Peter Dutton two days before the spill.

The messages show Senator Cormann claim he was blindsided by Mr Turnbull’s decision to call a spill against his own leadership at the beginning of the ill-fated week for the former prime minister.

“I was genuinely blindsided by the leadership ballot on the Tuesday and events developed rapidly from there,” he told Mr Turnbull.

“All this has been very painful — yes I know first and foremost for you and for that I’m very sorry. But also for me. My wife was genuinely traumatised by it all.”

Mr Turnbull replied, calling Senator Cormann “weak and treacherous”.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Mr Turnbull wrote. “I well understand how disappointed your wife is in your conduct.”

Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz said Mr Turnbull should not have referenced Senator Cormann’s wife, Hayley Cormann, in his ­attack on the West Australian conservative.

“I don’t think it reflects well (on Mr Turnbull),” Senator Abetz said.

“To bring a parliamentarian’s wife into it, as he did with Mathias, is indicative of the mindset of which I don’t identify. People will make up their own mind as to what that discloses about Malcolm Turnbull’s character.”

NSW MP Craig Kelly also said Mr Turnbull’s comments about Senator Cormann’s wife were ­“disappointing”.

“I thought that was a bit below the belt,” Mr Kelly said.

“Your parliamentary colleagues, when they are communicating text messages, it is common decency that you would expect that those text messages are to be kept confidential and not released to the media, let alone to promote a book.”

Responding to the release of his text messages, Senator Cormann declared the issue was “ancient history”. “I stand by my actions that week,” he said. “Malcolm took me by complete surprise when he brought on a surprise leadership ballot on the Tuesday.

“I was not part of any planned insurgency or planned conspiracy or planned spill that week. Malcolm brought on that leadership ballot.

“After he did that, and given the result of that particular ballot, the rest of us had to deal with the consequences.”

Senator Cormann denied his shift of support away from Mr Turnbull was the decisive factor in the change of leadership.

“I happen to believe that Malcolm Turnbull’s position at that time had become irretrievable and that he had lost the confidence of the partyroom,” he said.

“If we did not resolve the matter properly and with certainty, ­appropriate certainty, that week that the position of the government would become irretrievable.

“That remains my judgment. It would have been weak if I had ran away from dealing with this issue.”