Another one bites the dust

By CLAIRE MARTIN

Former prime minister Tony Abbott made a swift but graceful exit from the political stage this afternoon, choosing to not attend Parliament's Question Time, unlike his ousted predecessors. 

Malcolm Turnbull defeated Mr Abbott by 54 votes to 44 in a Liberal Party ballot  for the leadership last night. It came just a few hours after he launched his challenge, citing 30 consecutive poll losses and lack of support among ministers.  

Mr Abbott declined to comment publicly after his loss last night. He addressed the press for the first time this afternoon, saying he would make sure the leadership change was as easy as possible.

“There will be no wrecking, no undermining, and no sniping – I’ve never leaked or backgrounded against anyone and I certainly won't start now.”

Mr Abbott said it was a tough day but he remained proud of what he had achieved over the past two years.

“Poll-driven panic has produced a revolving door prime ministership which can't be good for our country,” he said

“I have rendered all and I am proud of my service – my love for this country is as strong as ever, and may God bless this great Commonwealth.”

Speculation is now centred on how the spill will affect this weekend's Canning by-election in Western Australia. 

Liberal candidate Andrew Hastie told the ABC last night critics could say what they wanted – he was now more determined then ever to win.

“Timing is never of your own choosing. The lesson I've learned in the Defence Force is that you continue forward, even when the environment is uncertain, so I'll be knuckling down over the next few days to win the support of the people of Canning,” he said.

Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove swore in Malcolm Turnbull during a brief ceremony at Parliament House this afternoon.

Mr Turnbull is now Australia’s 29th prime minister and the fifth to hold the position in just over five years.

Missed last night’s spill? Here’s how it went down.

Led by Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop – yesterday’s chain of events in Canberra unfolded quickly.

Ms Bishop met with the then prime minister soon after question time to inform him he had lost the support of the Caucus and should step aside.

Just hours later at a 4pm press conference outside Parliament House, Mr Turnbull announced his leadership challenge.

In the well-rehearsed speech, he said our government needed “advocacy not slogans”, and that his decision to challenge Mr Abbott had not been made lightly.

“Ultimately, the prime minister has not been capable of providing the economic leadership our nation needs.

"The big economic changes that we're living through here and around the world offer enormous challenges and enormous opportunities," he said.

“We have to make a change for our country's sake, for the government's sake, for the party's sake.”

A shocked Mr Abbott addressed the press frenzy at 6.15pm, saying he had received support from many Liberal MPs who believed “we are not the Labor Party”.

“This country needs strong and stable government and that means avoiding at all costs Labor's revolving-door prime ministership.”

Mr Abbott announced a party room ballot vote for both the leadership and deputy leadership would take place that evening.

“I will be a candidate and I expect to win,” he said.

In the long three hours between the announcement and the vote, speculation over who held support for whom was rife and some Liberal Party supporters were clearly seeing red.

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett didn’t hold back on 3AW radio, saying Mr Turnbull’s challenge was the ultimate act of treachery.

“This is the act of a terribly selfish individual who has been waiting for this opportunity, since he lost the leadership of the Liberal party,” he said.

“I have no respect for Turnbull – none at all.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was quick to respond to the afternoon’s events, taking aim at Mr Turnbull and the Liberal Government during his press conference.

“Australians rejected Malcolm Turnbull when he was opposition leader because he was out of touch and he was arrogant and he hasn't changed – Australia does not need another out-of-touch, arrogant Liberal leader,” he said.

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews announced his early support for Tony Abbott, as did Treasurer Joe Hockey, while the prime minister’s former leading lady, Bronwyn Bishop, remained eerily silent.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne was also noticeably absent before last night’s ballot. However, his side-by-side entrance with the latest leadership duo into this morning’s party room meeting was a clear indication of which way he voted.

At 9.50pm the Chief Government Whip Scott Buchholz sedately made the walk from the party room to the podium where he announced Mr Turnbull had defeated Tony Abbott by 54 votes to 44.

He also announced Ms Bishop had defeated Kevin Andrews to keep the deputy leadership position, 70 votes to 30.

Mr Turnbull addressed the press gallery soon after and, for the sake of politeness perhaps, made a backflip on previous comments over Mr Abbott's leadership.

"I want to say at the outset what a great debt the nation owes and the party owes, the Government owes to Tony Abbott and of course, to his family,” he said.

Mr Turnbull said he would not be making any rash policy announcements and his working relationship with Ms Bishop would operate in a traditional Cabinet manner.

"This will be a thoroughly Liberal government. It will be a thoroughly Liberal government committed to freedom, the individual and the market,” he said.

After what has been deemed by social media as the #libspill of a lifetime, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ended the day’s extraordinary events with a message for those still up and watching his speech.

“Now the hour is late, everyone should go to bed – thank you very much.”

@Claire_EMartin