Julie Bishop steps down as Foreign Minister

Julie Bishop will step down from her cabinet position and may quit politics at the next federal election.

Julie Bishop has resigned as Foreign Minister. Picture: Kym Smith

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will step down from her portfolio and may quit politics at the next election.

Ms Bishop said she had been preselected for the seat of Curtin and had made no decision regarding the next election in a statement.

Her decision came as leaked messages showed key Liberal party members urged each other to vote with their heads not their hearts, leading to the leadership hopeful being knocked out in the first round of the leadership ballot.

The former deputy put her hand up for the Liberal leadership on Friday but received only 11 votes in the first round, leading to a showdown between Peter Dutton and eventual new Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The ABC on Sunday reports the “Friends of Stability” WhatsApp messaging group includes 19 Liberal Party members including frontbenchers Christopher Pyne, Paul Fletcher, Craig Laundy and Simon Birmingham.

“(Mathias) Cormann rumoured to be putting some WA votes behind Julie Bishop in round one,” Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher wrote to the group. “Be aware that this is a ruse trying to get her ahead of Morrison so he drops out and his votes go to Dutton.”

Mr Cormann has denied this was the case.

“This is 100% incorrect,” Senator Cormann said.

The message continued: “Despite our hearts tugging us to Julie we need to vote with our heads for Scott in round one.” Backbenchers Julia Banks, Trent Zimmerman and Lucy Gichuhi are also members of the group.

Messages between key Liberals leaked to Insiders show how votes were directed away from Julie Bishop. Picture: ABC

Senior Liberal MP Christopher Pyne told the group he had told Ms Bishop about the tactics “very respectfully”.

Senator Birmingham described Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as the “most significant woman in the history of the Liberal Party”.

Liberal Chisholm MP Julia released a statement saying she voted for Ms Bishop in the first round of the spill despite being part of the “Friends For Stability” WhatsApp group.

She said Ms Bishop was a “fine leader” and a “standout” role model for young women.

Some in Labor have attempted to frame Ms Bishop’s low vote in the spill into their argument that the Liberal Party does not support women in leadership.

“Who would be a woman in the Liberal Party. Their strongest performer, most popular minister and best fundraiser, completely disrespected by a bunch of blokes with half her intellect,” Labor MP Clare O’Neil said.

“Let’s see how they get on without her.”

The Liberal Party members listed in the 'Friends of Stability' WhatsApp group. Picture: ABC

Malcolm Turnbull paid tribute to his former deputy.

“Today we have lost Australia’s finest Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. I thank Julie for her loyalty and friendship over many years but especially as my Deputy. She has been and remains an inspiring role model for women here and around the world,” he said.

Labor Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Penny Wong said Ms Bishop had “dedicated her life” to serving the nation and had a “tireless work ethic”.

“While Labor has at times been critical of the foreign policy directions under Prime Ministers Abbott and Turnbull, Ms Bishop’s commitment to standing up for Australia both here and abroad has never been in question,” she said.

“In particular I have deeply appreciated her commitment to bipartisanship, and her personal courtesy to me.”

Former Labor Trade Minister Craig Emerson said Ms Bishop was treated “appallingly” by her own colleagues.

“In my view it’s sad that Julie Bishop has resigned from the front bench. We entered Parliament at the same time, we got on well and she was a good, strong Cabinet Minister and Deputy Leader,” he tweeted.

“Julie was treated appallingly by her own colleagues.”

Ms Bishop, 62, also stood down as deputy leader of the Liberal party. Josh Frydenberg was voted in by his colleagues and was given the treasury portfolio on Friday.

Ms Bishop became Foreign Minister in 2013 and was Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party up until last week’s leadership spill.

She received praise from former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in his farewell speech and current Prime Minister Scott Morrison said she was “a rock star for the Liberal Party, as a Foreign Minister, and for Twitter and Facebook” in his first press conference.

The foreign policy community also praised her on Sunday.

“I’m sorry to hear this,” Executive Director of the Lowy Institute Michael Fullilove tweeted.

“The foreign affairs community will be devastated by Julie Bishop’s announcement as she quits as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Bishop made us proud on a global stage,” Erin Watson lynn Director of Diplomacy at Asialink said.

Ms Bishop’s seat of Curtin is a safe Liberal seat, and while there has been speculation Attorney-General Chrisitan Porter would move to her seat, government sources said he would be staying in his seat of Pearce.

Ms Bishop was a partner at Perth firm Clayton Utz before entering parliament.

With AAP