Another PM change for Australia

[The Jester]

Malcolm Turnbull will become Australia's 29th prime minister after beating Tony Abbott in a dramatic leadership ballot in Canberra on Monday night.

Declaring himself "humbled," by the victory, Mr Turnbull said he would serve out the Coalition's remaining year in office before calling an election, promised a new economic vision and thanked Mr Abbott for his service.

"The burden of leadership is a very heavy one," Mr Turnbull said, and praised the free trade agreements and success in stopping the boats as "very formidable" achievements of Mr Abbott's government.

Mr Turnbull promised a "thoroughly Liberal" government and new economic vision committed to freedom, the individual and the market.

He also vowed to persuade voters, rather than lecture them.

Mr Turnbull's victory is reminiscent of the coup former prime minister Julia Gillard staged against Kevin Rudd in 2010 and makes the former communications minister Australia's fifth prime minister in just over five years.

Liberal MPs gathered at Parliament House at 9.15pm to decide whether Mr Abbott or Mr Turnbull would lead them to the next election.

Ahead of the ballot, both camps were confident of having the numbers but chief whip Scott Buccholz announced Mr Turnbull had prevailed over Mr Abbott 54-44. One Liberal voted informally and another was absent.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has been elected deputy, defeating a challenge by Kevin Andrews 70-30.

The drama began just after question time when Mr Turnbull paid a visit to Mr Abbott requesting a leadership ballot on Tuesday morning. Earlier, Ms Bishop had told Mr Abbott he had lost the support of his partyroom and of the cabinet and urged him to quit or hold a ballot.

Mr Abbott responded by urging his colleagues not to follow Labor in ditching a first-term prime minister and declared he would win the ballot, which he scheduled for Monday night. He left the party room with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and the New South Wales backbencher Karen Macnamara.

One Liberal source told Fairfax Media that after his defeat Mr Abbott warned his colleagues about the rigours of the job and warned they were tests a more "febrile" and "lesser man" might not endure. This was widely interpreted as being aimed at Mr Turnbull, who is known for his temper.

Mr Abbott also complained of he and his Treasurer Joe Hockey being undermined.

Joe Hockey is certain to be dumped as Treasurer and replaced with Scott Morrison, who said he would be supporting Mr Abbott but had declined to run as his deputy.

Ms Bishop also said she would no longer serve as Mr Abbott's deputy and instead ran as Mr Turnbull's running mate.

Speaking at the same media conference with Mr Turnbull, Ms Bishop said she was honoured to continue serving as deputy and said she would also continue as the Foreign Minister.

The leadership change paves the way for a major reshuffle of the cabinet and provides Mr Turnbull with the opportunity to reshape the government with more Liberal moderates and women in the top jobs.

Mr Turnbull said he would meet with the ministry on Tuesday morning but any reshuffle delayed until next week.

He promised to run a more consultative style of government and said the Australian prime minister should be the "first amongst equals" and not treated like a President.

"The culture of our government is going to be one that is thoroughly consultative … a thoroughly traditional consultative cabinet government that ensures we make decisions in a collaborative manner," he said.

The former barrister and journalist's astonishing political comeback is a complete turnaround from his situation six years ago, when he was dumped as party leader for Mr Abbott in bitter dispute over climate change policy.

Two Liberal right-wing senators who were bitterly opposed to Mr Turnbull in 2009, Victorians Mitch Fifield and Scott Ryan, entered the partyroom meeting alongside Mr Turnbull.

Mr Abbott, in contrast, was accompanied by two female backbenchers and a throng of ministers behind him, including Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and Small Business Minister Bruce Billson.

Mr Turnbull quit parliament in 2010, only to be talked back into staying by former Liberal prime minister John Howard. Mr Howard's chief of staff, and now senator, Arthur Sinodinos, was instrumental in forging Mr Turnbull's political resurrection and his chief number cruncher.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Abbott addressed reporters and said he had been "dismayed by the destabilisation that's been taking place now for many, many months".

Mr Abbott warned his colleagues the prime ministership was not a "prize or a plaything to be demanded". "It should be something which is earned by a vote of the Australian people," Mr Abbott said.

"There will be a party room ballot for both the leadership and deputy leadership positions later this evening. I will be a candidate and I expect to win."

We're making a habit of this.

[madd0ct0r]

IS HE RETIRING TO SPEND MORE TIME ON HIS HOUSEBOAT?

[Crazedwraith]

I've seen our Australian members complaint a lot about Abbott. Is this guy any better?

[Grumman]

I've seen our Australian members complaint a lot about Abbott. Is this guy any better?

If he wasn't, I think you'd already know. Abbott set new records in the field of being generally abhorrent, so as long as Turnbull hasn't punched a baby in the past six hours he should be a step up.

[salm]

When the article speaks of "thoroughly Liberal" does it mean liberal in the American way, aka socially progressive, or in the European way, aka economically liberal similar to the American libertarian?

[loomer]

It means Liberal in the Australian way: conservative.

[salm]

So more conservative than Abbott?

[Gandalf]

Not more conservative, but more open to polls and the party consensus than the "captain's calls" that Abbott so loved.

[The Jester]

I believe there is fairly strong consensus that this is an improvement amongst Australians, though as Grumman points out, that's not a particularly high bar to pass.

Turnbull personally does support doing more to combat climate change and is also a supporter of same sex marriage. However, he is still a member of a party that contains a large block of MPs that do not support of such policies and he will need to keep them happy.

[The Romulan Republic]

So centre-Right?

Well, as long as he's not a complete scumbag, he ought to better than Abbot from what I've heard. My impression of Abbot, from an American perspective, was basically "Tea Partier who managed to actually run a country."

[loomer]

The real issue of it is that Turnbull actually has relatively little power he didn't have before. He's still going to have to control the party room and the coalition, and get their votes in - and on controversial areas where he's not all bad (e.g. gay marriage, immigration, climate change) he's had to agree to tow the line just to get made PM.

This is also why it may be a good thing for the Left that he's PM now. The Australian people will get over the honeymoon period by the next election and realize Turnbull is not their great conservative hope, but more of the same in a less insane package. If we could just replace Bill Shorten - hell, have Luke Foley from NSW State Labour speak instead of him, even though he won't be part of the federal government. No rule that says you can't! - we'd be able to combat him.

What we need is someone short and witty to counter the way Turnbull drones on and on (that's the law school in 'im!) in debates.

[Gandalf]

What we need is someone short and witty to counter the way Turnbull drones on and on (that's the law school in 'im!) in debates.

Is there anyone like that in Labor, or are they going to ride the Greens' coat tails?

[tim31]

Both Albo and Plibers are competent orators but Shorten has his hand firmly on the lid of the bickie tin, so basically, yeah. Greens do the legwork, then ALP badmouths them and tries to steal their pie money.

[loomer]

What we need is someone short and witty to counter the way Turnbull drones on and on (that's the law school in 'im!) in debates.

Is there anyone like that in Labor, or are they going to ride the Greens' coat tails?

In federal labour? Not anymore. State labour, yeah, a few. I'd even be glad to have Kim Beazely back, shit as he was - at least he could speak without being totally fucking awful like Shorten.

It's why I reckon they need to get the state labour speaking. They've got their own problems, sure, but with the scarcity of good FedLabour speakers...

[salm]

So he´s not a coal whore like Abbot it appears.
Seems like a step up then.

[loomer]

He personally? No. The party he has to try and run? Absolutely still.

[B5B7]

Abbott was the worst PM we have ever had. He acted like he was a US style president, not a Westminster system PM, making unilateral decisions often. Of course, he is not entirely to blame for this - the cabinet should have pulled him in line, instead of being a whole lot of yes men. This is a major reason why this situation with the challenge ended occurring, as Turnbull knew what the people thought about this and seized the main chance.
Incidentally, this line from the OP is a common refrain that Abbott and other conservatives have said before:

Mr Abbott warned his colleagues the prime ministership was not a "prize or a plaything to be demanded". "It should be something which is earned by a vote of the Australian people," Mr Abbott said.

This is false - in Australia we do not elect the PM, and the people have little say in who is PM. As with the case of Turnbull becoming PM it is decided by a small number of mostly men (100 on this occasion).
The only sense it is in any way true is that at the general election, each party puts forward a leader, who if they win automatically becomes PM.
BTW, Julie Bishop strongly resembles a cylon (Model 13?), who has infiltrated the human ruling structure. She always ends up deputy in the Liberal Party, no matter who is (Imperious) leader.

[loomer]

It's very exciting to me as a Republican (not what you yanks think - the Aussie republicans are just those of us who are fed up with this whole 'monarchy' business) to have Turnbull as PM at the same time as the Republic movement just relaunched. I may not particularly like Turnbull, but having the former leader of the ARM as PM right now is very good for that front.

[mr friendly guy]

Quick run down on why Abbott sucks.




Well why he sucks besides being a climate change denier, homophobe, racist and trying to deny abortion medications to women. But at least he has the suppository of all wisdom, and threaten to shirtfront Putin, and then didn't.

Oh, and Abbott has now become the shortest serving Australian Prime Minister after Harold Holt. And that was because Harold Holt went missing while swimming at the beach.

[loomer]

Actually, he's the 10th shortest serving. Holt is #9.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-15/f ... rs/6778200

[Alkaloid]

So apparently Hockey is refusing to stand down as Treasurer. I don't think Scotty Morrison hand his 9 mates will let that fly for very long. I will enjoy watching what will in effect be the public execution of Smokin' Joes political career though.

[mr friendly guy]

Actually, he's the 10th shortest serving. Holt is #9.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-15/f ... rs/6778200

They seem to count PM's who were like acting (ie when the elected PM is overseas or on leave etc) and not in their own right, eg Frank Forde (in this case because Curtin had died). However you are right, there are some that have been PM shorter than Abbott.

[loomer]

So apparently Hockey is refusing to stand down as Treasurer. I don't think Scotty Morrison hand his 9 mates will let that fly for very long. I will enjoy watching what will in effect be the public execution of Smokin' Joes political career though.

He knows its over, he wants to try and start some shit on the way out. I hope he does, too - a fractured Coalition means a better shot at Labour getting back in. With Turnbull looking unlikely to be able to rein in the insane wing of the party, the argument that we should support a functional government of either party ceases to apply so hoping for it to shatter is back in the game.

[Crown]

The best thing? He missed out on the PM's pension by four fucking days!

#PutOutYourOnions

He knows its over, he wants to try and start some shit on the way out. I hope he does, too - a fractured Coalition means a better shot at Labour getting back in. With Turnbull looking unlikely to be able to rein in the insane wing of the party, the argument that we should support a functional government of either party ceases to apply so hoping for it to shatter is back in the game.

*cough*noUinOzzyLabor*cough*

And Hockey is such a fucking dumb cunt, it's absolutely amazing to watch a grown adult learn on the job in such an obvious way and never, ever get better at it. Fucking grafting chancer prick.

[tim31]

I dunno if it got mentioned earlier in the thread and I'm too lazy to scan for it, but rumour persists that Abbott was told to ditch Hockey or get rolled, and he gave serious thought to it but ultimately his pride got in the way.

I mean the guy couldn't face the media until nearly lunchtime the next day, he clearly had trouble grasping the reality of it. And his concession speech had not one concession in it. He still insisted he was proud of his 'achievements' and blamed the media for his downfall. That same media that he rode into office on the back of. Turns out when you ride a wild dragon you can't let go when you're done.