Tony Abbott fights for his political life for the second time this year, as Malcolm Turnbull makes his move.
Malcolm Turnbull, with Julie Bishop in tow, has reportedly met with the Prime Minister to request a leadership ballot. With only the weekly Essential Research looming in the way of federal opinion polling this week, that seems as good an excuse as any to launch a new thread.
UPDATE (Two minutes later): Malcolm Turnbull has resigned from cabinet.
UPDATE 2 (10pm): Turnbull 54, Abbott 44.
Author: William Bowe
William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.
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Bill Bowe on and now
Human looks pale.
[I’m putting good money on Turnbull having the numbers. An investment banker can count.]
Oh yeah…
FAI.
NBN.
Uhlmann
Vote Green for leadership stability!
If Turnbull fails, there are a years worth of ads in that presser!
Malcolm: “I wozn’t here fer the last two years. I mean, I woz here, but I wozn’t. Oh, shit, you know wot I mean.”
Bill B on abc 720 Perth
Happiness will be all happiness.
Investment Bankers also invest long term….
Does he have the numbers now? Or is he simply close enough to run now in preparation
Toolman suggesting instability to come…
Credlin must be working the phones overtime. That or packing her bags.
Bill Shorten is now worried…
Pyne the key backstabber!
@113 – it’s Rex’s dream come true.
Meanwhile, the Senate is discussing an MPI on Abbott’s leadership. The poor Government senators who have to front up for the debate.
Interesting times. What do the right do if/when Turnbull wins? A lot of frontbenchers and powerbrokers to be cleaned out, no doubt.
True Rex, but I will be glad to see the back of Abbott.
Rex, you are utterly deluded, Shorten’s leadership is safe. Stop pedalling that crap, nobody believes it
“@KarenMMiddleton: Oppn Ldr Bill Shorten has issued statement highlighting Malcolm Turnbull’s previous declaration he “unreservedly” supports Abbott budgets.”
Peacock, Howard, Peacock, Howard, Beazley, Beazley, Rudd, Rudd, Turnbull, Turnbull (probably).
I think the lesson here is that if you knock someone off, don’t let them hang around.
So will Abbott stay till the next election and are we likely to see a few leaks to Oakes?
I think Shorten is basically totally safe after these events. Imagine if they dumped him now! There’d be no better way to negate everything that is happening.
So we now have a terminally unstable government. The Liberals now CANNOT campaign on issues of trust, stability or good government.
Turnbull is a smooth talker now. You only have to remember when he was OL how incoherent he became. It will happen again. Lol. Having said that. We need to be rid of the bad mad and dangerous Abbott. He is a threat to this country
Has Shorten changed sides again with this spill?
Yep
No matter which way the vote goes
Youd think Turnbull would have to call an election this year.
Turnbull will win the election for the Libs unfortunately
rummel – you are norty
I wonder if the (now seemingly inevitable) switch from Abbott to Turnbull and Rudd-Gillard-Rudd will simply cancel each other out in terms of public perception? Shorten would be well advised to cease and desist in terms of highlighting Turnbull’s past statements on the leadership. Just take Turnbull on headon in policy terms. Fortunately for Shorten, the ailing economy is firmly on Labor’s side.
This is going to be delicious! The RWNJs in the party that have burgeoned since Abbott tossed Turnbull will be isolated – for now at least.
Also I think that if Abbott does go down he’ll miss out by only a couple of days to get the higher pension/perks as an ex-PM.
Also delicious will be the machinations and repercussions around the announcement of a new ministry and cabinet.
At least if Turnbull wins the whole twitterti of the east thing will die.
Turnbull is one of their number
Those tories – backstabbing a first term PM 🙂
Nice work William.
adrian
[Turnbull not mincing his words.
‘We need advocacy not slogans’]
Turnbull really let go and good on him.
There will be repercussions for Labor over this.
Of course Bill Shorten is safe. He’s not going anywhere.
But his chances of being PM would be much, much smaller now.
Goosh, I took old Rex to be saying Shorten would be worried now about beating Turnbull.
Anyone notice the funny little jump Turnbull made when saying the election is in 10 months time?
(Meanwhile, enjoying the SKY panel explaining why this is nothing like Gillard deposing Rudd….)
Nice interview Mr Bowe, nicely handled.
So we are heading to have an unelected Prime Minister. Now where have we heard THAT before?
In the short term a Turnbull win will probably be a huge boost and he may even go straight to the 2PP lead. The nation will simply let out a massive sigh of relief to be rid of this imbecile that’s been trashing the role of PM.
But if he doesn’t go to the polls before the end of the year I reckon Shorten will get a line on him. The economy isn’t just going to miraculously turn around. And frankly Turnbull is better in the prospect than the eating.
Interesting times, and assuming he’s a goner it will be a shame not to get the enjoyment of giving Abbott his well deserved kicking in the ballot box, but damn seeing him get his own party tear him down just two years after winning a landslide election is pretty damn sweet as a consolation prize. Piss off Abbott you cretin. You’ll be long remembered, but not lamented.
TBA,
enjoy the smell and taste of the shit sandwich.
So Turnbull really was doing a preliminary national tour of his constituents to gather support, as suggested here.
A vote for Turnbull is a vote for the 2014 Budget ‘reforms’.
[Those tories – backstabbing a first term PM :)]
In a new record time! LNP winz!
Lurking for a long time. This cannot happen now!!! We need the Mad Monk to stay for a while longer to ensure the complete destabilisation of the Liberals into its constitute un-electable sub groups.
No no no………..
Now all ring your local, or nearest liberal member, begging them to support a great PM who tells it like it is.
Watching the re-run of Turnbull’s statement, it’s increasingly clear just how much animus there is in there. He did far, far more than the usual template of simply announcing a challenge. He tore shreds off Abbott. He couldn’t get the devastating critique out of his mouth fast enough.
Pent-up rage.
I agree Rex. It will be a great test for Shorten. I wish him well in turfing these Tories.
What will Hadley and Bolt do now?
Bwahahaha!
PvO and Paul Murray arguing hastily on Sky.
Ahhh delicious.