WhatsApp! Turn a secret into a tale … tell Malcolm Turnbull

Liberals have expressed their frustration at Malcolm Turnbull’s publication of private conversations in his upcoming memoir.

Christopher Pyne will be reading Malcolm Turnbull’s book.

Liberals have expressed their frustration at Malcolm Turnbull’s publication of private conversations and WhatsApp messages in his memoir, with some accusing the former prime minister of lacking self-awareness.

But moderate ally and friend Christopher Pyne — described as a “gossip” by Mr Turnbull in his book, A Bigger Picture — declared he would be reading the tome.

“I devour political books. Especially ones that I am in!” Mr Pyne said.

Many personal and confidential messages between colleagues are divulged in the book, which outspoken Liberal MP Craig Kelly said was “very disappointing”.

“It’s disappointing he wanted to publicly trash so many of his colleagues and publish private and confidential discussions,” Mr Kelly said.

“In life, even if you have private conversations, they’re done in trust and confidence and you expect that trust and confidence to be upheld in all circumstances.”

Peta Credlin, who was former prime minister Tony Abbott’s chief of staff and also worked for Mr Turnbull when he was opposition leader, said the book said everything about Mr Turnbull’s character rather than the character of those people he attacked.

“I’ve never met a more reprehensible human being,” Credlin, now a Sky News host, told 2GB radio.

“Politics is pretty grubby business. There was no honour in Turnbull, there was nothing that was ever said to him in confidence where confidences were maintained.

“The only person who comes through (the memoir) unscathed is the guy who had his fingers on the keyboard writing this book.”

Scott Morrison insisted he would not let the memoir distract him from the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister is critiqued at length in Mr Turnbull’s book and is said to have been labelled a “Machiavellian plotter” by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

“I am not interested in any distractions. I’m interested in the health and wellbeing of Australians,” Mr Morrison said.

 

Former deputy leader Julie Bishop and Senator Cormann, accused by Mr Turnbull of betrayal for his role in the leadership turmoil that ended his prime ministership, also would not comment on the book.

“We are dealing with a major health and economic crisis at the moment,” Senator Cormann said.

“This period nearly two years ago has been dissected in some great detail in the past. A very detailed personal account of my decisions and the reasons for them during that period was reported exclusively in The West Australian some time ago. I don’t have anything to add to that. I sincerely wish Malcolm and his family well.”

Mr Dutton, labelled by Mr Turnbull a narcissist and self-delusional in his belief he could become prime minister, would not be drawn into a “tit-for-tat”.

“I think people have an understanding of the history,” Mr Dutton told 2GB radio.

Josh Frydenberg said he was sure lots of people would read Mr Turnbull’s account. “No doubt it’ll be on my shelves,” the Treasurer told Sky News.

Liberal senator Eric Abetz, who was an Abbott ally, said Mr Turnbull’s work would “undoubtedly provide comic relief” during the coronavirus crisis.

“When you read books by John Howard and Peter Costello, you get to understand what a statesman is. I’m not sure Malcolm’s book measures up,” he said.

A Bigger Picture, published by Hardie Grant Books, will be released on Monday.