Earlier report: Joe Hockey will become the new leader of the federal Liberal Party, according to early predictions. A motion to spill the leadership was carried this morning.

As Liberal MPs entered the party room meeting to vote, Liberal MP number crunchers said Malcolm Turnbull would be knocked out early in the race. Mr Hockey will also face off against Tony Abbott but is expected to win in the final round. However, Mr Turnbull is confident he will survive the leadership challenge.



He says he believes he will hold his position because he has a "clear consistent position on taking action on climate change". "For us to be a credible political party ... we have to have a credible position on climate change," he told the Seven Network. "I have been quite consistent about that." Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio: "I'm not even contemplating losing. I'm going to win today. My goal is to win. I intend to win."

He said the amended emissions trading scheme legislation should be passed.

"The Government agreed with most of what we asked for, we went back to our party room, our party room said fine, let's do the deal, let's agree on it, let's work together and go forward, and that bill should be passed,'' he told the Seven Network. Mr Turnbull denied the majority of the Liberal Party disagreed with him over emissions trading. "The numbers have all been published,'' he said. "There was a majority in the joint party room, a slender one to be fair, but in the Liberal party room ... there was a very solid majority against it [opposing the emissions trading legislation]. "But remember, a number of people didn't like the decision of the majority on the Tuesday and so called for a spill against my leadership ... and that spill was defeated by 48 to 35.

"The party room has dealt with this twice and it has supported me and we are now going to deal with it a third time today.'' Mr Turnbull promised to unite the party if he remains as leader, saying he was not a hater. "There has been some tough things said in this debate,'' he told ABC Radio. "After this is over - if I'm reconfirmed as the leader of the Liberal Party ... I give this undertaking that we will bring the party together. "I am not a hater. I don't bear grudges.''

Mr Turnbull said he was prepared to "wipe the slate'' clean of all the animosities. Loading He dismissed as "science fiction'' speculation he would start his own political party if dumped from the Liberal leadership.

- with AAP