By Jeremy Sollars
The farce that is the Liberal Party leadership is set to continue until at least midday tomorrow with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull waiting on a petition from his MPs to allow a new challenge to be brought on.
Mr Turnbull has said he will declare the leadership vacant – and not contest the resulting vote – if he receives at least 43 signatures or a majority plus one of the Liberal Party room in favour of a second ‘spill’.
According to the Prime Minister’s statements today the vote would be set down for midday tomorrow, Friday 24 August.
It is expected both Treasurer Scott Morrison and now-former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton will contest the leadership.
Deputy Liberal leader and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop – widely seen by many voters as a better alternative to both Morrison and Dutton – is also said to be “considering her options”.
Mr Turnbull has said he will quit parliament if he is no longer the Liberal leader.
Mr Dutton is currently awaiting advice from the Solicitor-General about his eligibility to sit as an MP – let alone be Prime Minister – due to a childcare company his family owns receiving government payments.
That advice is expected to be delivered on Friday morning.
The government earlier today adjourned the House of Representatives until Monday 10 September but the Senate will continue sitting until the end of today, Thursday 23 August, as the government doesn’t have the numbers to shut it down.
A total of 13 ministers have now quit the cabinet, making it clear Mr Turnbull no longer has the support of his own party, which is says is being steered further to the right by “bullies” both inside and outside parliament.
Meanwhile the Australian public continues to wish the whole sorry mess could just be resolved as quickly as possible – and to wonder why the heck Julie Bishop isn’t openly being touted as a potential Prime Minister.
Treasurer Scott Morrison – who could well gather more party room votes than Peter Dutton – has previously been Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and Minister for Social Services.
Mr Morrison – the MP for the Sydney seat of Cook – has been married to wife Jenny since the age of 21 and they have two daughters. He is a Pentecostal Christian and a supporter of the Cronulla Sharks, being their number one ticket holder.
He is also a big fan of Tina Arena, his website states.
Mr Dutton is the member for the seat of Dickson in Brisbane’s north, which he last won at the 2016 election by a mere 2911 votes, on a margin of just 1.6 per cent.
He has been the MP for Dickson since 2001 when he won the seat from Labor’s Cheryl Kernot.
Mr Dutton is a father of three and is a former Queensland police officer.
