Federal Government
DONE DEAL: Liberal hardheads devise solution *LIVE UPDATES
Word is that a compromise deal is being worked out right now behind Malcolm Turnbull’s back according to a Liberal informant:
Malcolm Turnbull to be axed. Joe Hockey to become leader unopposed, with the support of Senator Minchin and Tony Abbott who might become Shadow Treasurer. The CPRS legislation to be referred to a Senate committee. Peter Dutton probably deputy in an attempt to shore him up in Dickson.
The speculation around Turnbull is huge. Some Labor gossips have even speculated that Rudd will reach out to him and offer him a seat and possibly even a ministry. Now that would be amusing.
UPDATE: This is a moving feast, an all-you-can-eat Vegas style smorgasbord for the politically pre-occupied. Hockey is apparently ruling out any challenge to Turnbull, hoping that the pressure will get too much for him to bear and that he’ll just quit. But what if he doesn’t? The above artful compromise then goes nowhere?
UPDATE: Julie Bishop is apparently publicly denying “tapping Malcolm on the shoulder.” Yet this was reported this morning by one of The Australian’s best and most careful reporters, Samantha Maiden, so we’re inclined to believe the latter. What a swirling mass of intrigue.
UPDATE: Senator Fierravanti-Wells has declared she’ll be voting against the government’s CPRS legislation, previously thought to be one of eleven Liberal Senators likely to support it. Courtesy of Tim Andrews.
UPDATE: Senator Helen Kroger, previously thought likely to support the Turnbull/Rudd legislation has told supporters she won’t be backing a guillotine of the legislation so that’s another one bites the dust for Turnbull’s radical crash-through plan.
UPDATE: Senator Fierravanti-Wells has quit her Parl Sec position.
UPDATE: Sources close to Senator Michael Ronaldson insist that Malcolm Turnbull still has the numbers against Tony Abbott and he intends to stand and fight and put him in his place. They say some of the 35 votes for a spill are not fans of Abbott – for a number of reasons – and that many of them will be susceptible to a weekend blitzkreig from the Leader’s office. It’s not over yet, they insist, even if it looks likely the CPRS deal is off.
UPDATE: Party room stoush set for 9am Monday. Senior Liberals though are working hard on avoiding bloodshed, by giving effect to a compromise that would involve Turnbull stepping aside. The momentum for his ousting continues to grow but it seems greatly complicated by Hockey’s unwillingness to do Turnbull in.
UPDATE: Meanwhile the push for the spill proceeds, the formal request lodged with Whip Alex Somylay signed by Tony Abbott, Tony Smith, patriot Sophie Mirabella, Michael Johnson, Cory Bernardi, Mitch Fifield, Mattias Cormann, David Bushby, Brett Mason, Judith Adams.
UPDATE: Former Daily Tele editor Penbo – now presiding over the excellent Punch – bumped into Malcolm Turnbull at lunch. Turnbull told him his foes were engaging in “political terrorism” and that “They have basically tried to blow up the party” and indicated that he’s in a fighting mood.
UPDATE: At 3.45pm, the Senate debate adjourned, the Liberal Senators will head home and the head-counting will begin in earnest.
Discussion
24 comments for “DONE DEAL: Liberal hardheads devise solution *LIVE UPDATES”
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spot on Vexed… am sure you are right on this one…and a good thing to … better opposition means better government
Just spoke to a well connected insider Andy. Malcolm’s gotta go ASAP to prevent him working the phones and offering bribes to the waverers over the weekend. The source also told me Turnbull personally is not a believer in the AGW cult, his stance all just a sham to capture the high ground.
this unrest will hurt the Higgins campaign, Labor should have run a candidate, with the Greens help they would have cleaned up
Everyone needs to get behind Joe and focus on the enemey, labor
why does no one speak of Julia Gillards aspirations?
Hockey may be a temporary solution. He’s lighter weight than Turnbull, though just as useless in terms of understanding politics and political issues. He can lead the party perhaps until the election. But since he won’t be able to win it (or to deserve to win it), there needs to be a longer term strategy to replace him after the election defeat with a good candidate this time, one with the prospect of defeating Labor and KRudd at the following election.
as i said yesterday joe will lead!!
If Hockey leads the Libs, the Nats should walk. There is no point in supporting a dead man walking.
This is all so exciting…Im going to get my first erection since 1921.
If Rudd did offer him a Ministry he’d grab it with both hands.He’s definitely low enough.By now he knows he’ll never be Prime Minister but he’s never given up on his Presidential wet dream and thinks by maintaining a political profile he might eventually be a chance.Wanker!
I told you all that the Liberal Party would disintegrate, after what they did to me in Kooyong.
If Sophie Mirabella is a patriot, Joe Hockey is anorexic.
Well, Hockey is intellectually and morally anorexic.
Where are the Labor sceptics?
What about me?
yes, it is always all about you isn’t it, Alex?
Andrew this is spot on good inside info.
What have i done?
I knew good old rich Spycatcher was a bit of a show pony, but never thought he was this bad.
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
IAM THE LEADER!!!!!!
U R Not Leedr Malkm plz gow noww
Bruce Bilson, any news on his position Andy?
Peter Costello is married to Tanya Coleman whose father beat Malcolm Turnball in a Wentworth preselection in the 1980’s. Malcolm tried to undermine Peter from the day he entered parliament and tried to hijack the tax reform debate. Now Turnball wants to introduce a new indirect tax that will hit the poor hardest and reduce employment in manufacturing and other blue collar sectors. Seems like a good idea to me. Why introduce a tax that hits the rich and those in white collar occupations?
There is something badly wrong with the federal Liberal party but there is a cure; his initials are RDR.
Look Malcolm, we’ve set up that carbon permits trading scheme like you told us to, now shove this ETS legislation through will ya?
There’s a good lad,
signed
Your Former Employer
God damn you GS I’m shoving as hard as I can!
If I was any closer to Rudd on this I’d need lubricant!
Mal.
spot on Vexed… am sure you are right on this one…and a good thing to … better opposition means better government