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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No presser from Abbott…
Diogenes, would it be OK as a sign of respect to stuff onions in your speedos?
Steve777
[Big Money will be happy with the change. They now have a more effective advocate.]
They will be purring at the thought of having a former merchant banker in the top job.
And… no one on AB24 even noticed that we hadnt heard from whatshisname, the outgoing PM.
So we have:
– Howard 3/1996 – 12/2007
– Rudd 12/2007 – 6/2010
– Gillard 6/2010 – 6/2013
– Rudd 6/2013 – 9/2013
– Abbott 9/2013 – 9/2015
– Turnbull 9/2015 – 11/2016
– Shorten 11/2016 – ??
neologism of the night, invented by a friend of mine “Malsplaining”
Don Randall led off and Canning voters continued the story – sending Abbott packing.
Turnbull first Lib leader since Gorton to stress his party’s commitment to “liberalism”.
From my POV, that’s a positive.
What has happened to Abbott. Did he have to “zip”?
Wonder if we’ll get a live shot of Cormann and Hockey and their cigars tonight?
poroti
[Australia = Italy-R-Us ?]
Even Italy hasn’t been going through them as fast as we have.
roger
[Diogenes, would it be OK as a sign of respect to stuff onions in your speedos?]
I think that would be perfect.
Personally I only have onions so that’s what I’m putting out.
Somehow I think Abbott will try to come back.
Very happy about this development. Absolutely a positive development for the country and state of politics. Awesome that the Liberals have switched to someone intelligent and apparently respectful of a higher level of debate. Fascinating reflection on the state of affairs that they have raised the bar in this way out of the Liberal Party’s shallow political convenience.
Not a flinch from me about my strong Greens support, but I am feeling more optimistic about politics generally.
[“If Holt got a swimming pool, what should Abbott get?”]
to maintain the irony:
school of social policy and cohesion?
centre for innovation and forward thinking?
centre of climate science and renewable energy?
centre of religious and social inclusiveness and refugee resettlement?
a mosque?
centre for kids who don’t read good and wanna learn other good stuff too?
(Was he the derek zoolander of australian politics? – discuss)
Diogenes
Not in recent times. We have picked up the baton that they dropped.
roger Bottomley
PVO was emphatic earlier on. Abbott will not do what Rudd did. He will support Turnbull.
I feel like there is more to happen tonight.
But nah, sleep beckons.
Steve777 @ 1942
Spot on.
I can just hear the sighs in the retail lunchrooms, “Oh well, I guess we should have a pay cut if we want to keep a good job like this casual work at Colesworths,” they will say. And shuffle off to sign whatever the SDA organises for them under the approving gaze of the ACCI. Then Turnbull can turn on the CEPU or the AMWU and say, “see, why can’t you be reasonable like the SDA or the AWU then!” Naughty bad unions wanting the same share of the national wealth their parents generation had! Don’t you know that’s for Golmann Sachs, Maklcolm’s old employers, who rated a bunch of mortgages held by trailer park crack addicts as AAA securities before they got flogged to local govvernments.
It’s all over red rover for those who work for a wage. Bring your own lubricant from this point.
Broad Church.. there ya go
Turnbull has a problem with renewable energy.
meher baba@1958
He had another of his seizures like with Mark Riley.
Completely catatonic. 😆
No Abbott presser tonight so it’s all over bar the shouting.
The circus resumes first light tomorrow.
Has Abbott made a concession speech that I missed?
ABC reminding us of Abbott knifing Turnbull in the first place.
Turnbull ducked the gay marriage question and revealed he’d sold his soul on climate change. I bet that’s going to come as a surprise to a lot of people who thought he’d be different.
He also promises to consult and “respect people’s intelligence”. Yeah, like all the insults he hurled at experts on broadband..
I’d forgotten that Turnbull had said he was quitting politics after he lost to Abbott.
Abbott didnt even make two years.
So, the LNP are officially *even worse* than the ALP on this score now.
[neologism of the night, invented by a friend of mine “Malsplaining”]
Love it 🙂
The Daily TurdBurgler upset, but somehow I think they’ll get over it
@daily_telecrap: ‘Today Tele readers wake to a new prime minister after, once again, not being told anything the day before’ http://t.co/ihuCamSrRC
[I’d forgotten that Turnbull had said he was quitting politics after he lost to Abbott.]
Me too!
Oh dear!
Political Alert @political_alert 4m4 minutes ago
Liberal MP @steveciobo tells #Lateline he expects @ScottMorrisonMP to be Treasurer “I don’t think there’s any news flash in that” #auspol
victoria@1965
Rudd didn’t support Turnbull. 😐
News Corp journo thinks this is totally different to Rudd… I’m shocked.
Commentariat seem convinced ABbott is not a wrecker whiteanter like Rudd.
[Turnbull has a problem with renewable energy.]
same political donors will see them keeping their pro coal policies. they believe in the market after all.
But Abbott backers another story.
bemused
Surely you are smart enough to undestand the intent
And Rupert seems a bit pissed off
[@rupertmurdoch: Sad to see such a decent man as Abbott toppled. Now Turnbull needs a November election before Labor sacks Shorten.]
confessions@1983
So he’s more in the Gillard style of witeanting and backstabbing?
Hopefully this means the end of Andrews’, Brandis’ and Dutton’s ministerial careers.
Don’t be critical of Italy, it has been the most democratic country in the world since the last World War.
Every citizen gets the chance to be Prime Minister in his lifetime.
Australia has finally caught up.
[Has Abbott made a concession speech that I missed?]
does catatonic quivering count as a speech?
I feel ripped off too.
[Julia Gillard @JuliaGillard 26m26 minutes ago
Congratulations to Malcolm Turnbull on becoming Prime Minister – a great honour and responsibility. JG]
Such class.
Youll know Abbott isnt planning to backstab if you hear there’s a by-election in Warringah.
Until today, the Liberal PM failed because he tried to what he believed in. From tomorrow we will have a Liberal PM who will because he won’t do what he believes in.
All the commentators utterly silent on the role of the ALP in Abbott’s downfall. The groupthink is palpable.
Refreshing that the bit of talent in the liberal party replaced those so incompetent they couldn’t even manage their own numbers strategically. tone and Peta can ride off together into the sunset now.
Refreshing not to have the leader of your nation speaking as if talking to a 4 year old with hearing difficulties.
There is a chance this could be the end of the bullshit politics of the liberals over the last 4 years or so. Come on Malcolm those of us who are interested are as or more intelligent than you so please speak to us that way. Push Bill so we get the best from him in policy debate which his press club speech shows he is capable of.
Abbott can be remembered like Howard as a lazy dangerous fool who achieved almost nothing except halting the country’s progress while in power and ruining the popular image of Australia to the rest of the world.
bemused
The commentariat believe that Abbott will not be spiteful and destructive like Rudd was. Surely you are big enough to accept the reality. Frankly i dont care about Rudd. Good riddance to him and I cant wait for Abbott to vacate the space as well.
Surely Abbott will simply bow out at the next election.
Julie Bishop the elected Deputy Leader of the Fibs and the Zsa Zsa Gabor of Australian Politics.
I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house.
I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.
Talking head on Sky saying he has got a dirt file on Turnbull and Labor has it too. Very interesting.