Stick to Turnbull, says MP who saved government

One of Australia’s most marginal seat-holders has cautioned colleagues against turfing Malcolm Turnbull as PM.

Malcolm Turnbull in Brisbane with three locals, and Luke Howarth, right, and Peter Dutton from the neighbouring electorate of Dickson, back. Picture: AAP

One of Australia’s most marginal seat-holders, Queensland Liberal MP Luke Howarth, has cautioned colleagues against seizing on Malcolm Turnbull’s self-declared “KPI’’ of 30-straight Newspolls trailing Labor.

He has warned there is “no time’’ or need to change leaders before the next election.

The two-term MP, who saved the Turnbull government in 2016 by bucking a general swing to Labor and holding on to his north Brisbane seat of Petrie — then Australia’s most vulnerable on a margin of 0.6 per cent — said it was important to maintain political stability, regardless of the polls.

Mr Howarth is a right-wing conservative and among at least 20 Coalition MPs facing the loss of their seats on polling that puts Labor ahead of the Coalition on a two-party preferred vote of 53-47.

The Prime Minister faces ­increasing pressure over his leadership, with his government on track to trail Labor in 30 consecutive Newspolls — published next week — the benchmark for his ousting of Tony Abbott as prime minister in September 2015.

But Mr Howarth, who has not revealed who he supported in the vote that elevated Mr Turnbull to the prime ministership, yesterday said he wouldn’t back another leadership challenge.

“I think it is important for ­stability and we can’t keep changing leaders; we are not a disposable society,’’ he said after Mr Turnbull announced a $150 million upgrade to the Bruce Highway in his electorate.

“Malcolm and I might have policy issues that we differ on, but ultimately he is a smart man and he’s done what he said he would do, whether it’s jobs and growth, whether it’s a plebiscite on marriage equality or whatever.

“He has said exactly what he is going to do. It’s one of his strengths and when you look at previous leaders, they haven’t always said what they are going to do.’’

A former pest controller, who now sits on a margin of 1.6 per cent, Mr Howarth conceded that the 30 consecutive Newspoll loss was a “KPI that he set for himself’’.

But Mr Howarth said his advice to Mr Turnbull, if the Coalition again trailed Labor in next Monday’s Newspoll, would be to “just keep going on”.

And he doubts there is any looming leadership challenge, saying he’s not been contacted or heard of any planning.

“I think the partyroom is supportive behind Malcolm,’’ he said.

“But it is more than just Malcolm, there are 76 House of Representative members on our side and 30 senators and we all need to be working together and focusing on the needs of people.’’

Mr Howarth, renowned in the Coalition for his dogged grassroots campaigning in the working class and aspirational suburbs on Brisbane’s fringes, said the focus should be on Bill Shorten.

“Not many politicians are popular now … and I can tell you that Bill Shorten is very unpopular as well,’’ he said.

“We need to talk about Shorten’s plans because all this guy wants to do is increase taxes.

“And let’s not forget his past (as a union leader), where he negotiated away penalty rates so that the AWU (Australian Workers’ Union) got kickbacks and donations. That is not spoken about enough and that is what every one of the 106 members of the ­Coalition should do.’’