Abbott survives – but put on notice
Liberal backbenchers say they have sent a powerful message to Tony Abbott that they want to be consulted and policies need to change.
The prime minister survived a leadership spill motion brought by West Australian Liberal MPs Luke Simpkins and Don Randall on Monday, with the party room vote going down 61-39.
“I think that getting 39 votes for the spill motion is a powerful message,” Simpkins said.
“It was clear from what the prime minister said afterwards that he has listened to that and he’s going to change. This has been a good wake-up call.”
Abbott said in a brief video message after the vote that the matter had been resolved.
“We want to end the disunity and the uncertainty which destroyed two Labor governments and give you the good government that you deserve,” Abbott said.
The prime minister is expected to hold a press conference later on Monday.
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Another spill supporter, Queensland MP Andrew Laming, appeared to give the prime minister six months to improve his performance.
“The feeling will be we can go to the budget with the prime minister and he will have a chance for a second budget and then we will see that sales process over the next six months,” Laming said.
“We are going to be watching.”
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the government was in paralysis.
“Australian families and the Australian economy are paying the price for the chaos,” Shorten said.
Simpkins initially told Sky News that Mr Abbott had promised in the party room to dump the most controversial aspect of the 2014/15 budget, the GP co-payment.
But he later clarified that the prime minister had agreed to “consult” further on it.
Former Howard government minister Peter Reith described it as a “very bad day for Tony”.
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“I have no doubt people will switch across now, which will make his position even worse,” Reith said.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young described the prime minister as “Tick Tock Tony”.
Former leader Malcolm Turnbull and deputy leader Julie Bishop were considered frontrunners if the spill motion had succeeded.
Chief government whip Philip Ruddock described the vote as “very clear” when he informed the waiting media of the result.
A Newspoll, published ahead of the party room meeting, showed Labor leading the coalition 57-43 per cent.
It also showed a Liberal leadership change would improve the government’s stocks.
Only one in four voters were satisfied with Abbott’s performance.
In 2012, Labor leader Julie Gillard won a party room vote 71-31 over Kevin Rudd, but lost the leadership a year later.
– AAP
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