Prime Minister Tony Abbott expects Liberal Party leadership spill motion to fail, anticipates secret ballot

Updated

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he expects his MPs will vote on his leadership in secret, as he warns them against descending into "some kind of Game of Thrones".

A motion to spill the Liberal leader and deputy Liberal leader positions will be debated in a party room meeting on Tuesday.

Flanked by his deputy Julie Bishop in Townsville this morning, Mr Abbott said: "Australia has always been a stable country, with stable government, there was this eruption of instability during the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years and the last thing anyone wants is to see a government in this country turn into some kind of Game of Thrones."

Despite being identified by those agitating for change as a potential replacement for Mr Abbott, Ms Bishop said she would vote against the spill motion.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Prime Minister Tony Abbott expects spill motion to fail (ABC News)

"I certainly will, I support the Prime Minister, I support the leader, that is the role of the deputy and I've proven since 2007 that that's the role I will play," she said.

The Liberal Party's rules do not spell out whether MPs should cast their votes in secret or by raising their hands or voicing their opinions.

A secret ballot could be more dangerous for Mr Abbott because it may see ministers vote against him who would not have if they had to vote in front of their colleagues.

But under questioning from reporters, Mr Abbott said he anticipated the secret ballot.

"The standard procedure is a secret ballot, in the end it's a matter for the party room but that's the standard procedure," Mr Abbott said.

"So it will be a secret ballot?" a reporter asked.

"Well that's my anticipation," the Prime Minister said.

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Liberal leadership: who's who

PM faces leadership spill bid



Prime Minister Tony Abbott will face a challenge to his leadership of the Liberal Party on Monday, though no-one has stepped forward as a challenger at this stage.

Mr Abbott said he and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop would "stand together" and ask that the motion be defeated.

ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann said Malcolm Turnbull was the only likely challenger.

Tony Abbott



Prime Minister for just 16 months, Tony Abbott's leadership has come under intense pressure over contentious "captain's calls", a failure to sell an unpopular budget and complaints over the power wielded by chief of staff Peta Credlin.

Mr Abbott won the leadership in Opposition from Malcolm Turnbull by one vote in December 2009. His tough approach and Labor's leadership woes resulted in a hung Parliament in 2010, but Mr Abbott was unable to win the crossbench support to form government. He recorded an emphatic victory in 2013 and has succeeded in "axing the tax" and "stopping the boats", but key budget measures have been held hostage by a split Senate crossbench.

Malcolm Turnbull



Opinion polls have consistently shown voters prefer Malcolm Turnbull to lead the Liberal Party, but he has his internal critics. As a minister in the Howard and Abbott governments, he earned a reputation as one of the Coalition's best communicators.

Mr Turnbull previously held the leadership in Opposition but was ultimately brought down by one vote in a party room ballot. Some from the party's right wing would not countenance his return, while other more moderate MPs believe he is their best chance of political survival. His career before politics was colourful and high-profile, as the head of the republican movement, a successful businessman, lawyer for Kerry Packer and a journalist.

Julie Bishop



Arguably the Liberal Party's most successful woman, Julie Bishop has won acclaim from within her party for her performance as Foreign Minister. She was praised for pushing Australia's case at the United Nations following the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine last July.

Ms Bishop is also deputy Liberal leader, a position she held in Opposition under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Brendan Nelson. She was also briefly shadow treasurer but switched to the foreign affairs portfolio after her performance was criticised.

Ms Bishop released a statement regarding the spill, saying: "I agreed with the Prime Minister that due to Cabinet solidarity and my position as deputy there should be support for the current leadership in the spill motion."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will face a challenge to his leadership of the Liberal Party on Monday, though no-one has stepped forward as a challenger at this stage.Mr Abbott said he and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop would "stand together" and ask that the motion be defeated.ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann said Malcolm Turnbull was the only likely challenger.Prime Minister for just 16 months, Tony Abbott's leadership has come under intense pressure over contentious "captain's calls", a failure to sell an unpopular budget and complaints over the power wielded by chief of staff Peta Credlin.Mr Abbott won the leadership in Opposition from Malcolm Turnbull by one vote in December 2009. His tough approach and Labor's leadership woes resulted in a hung Parliament in 2010, but Mr Abbott was unable to win the crossbench support to form government. He recorded an emphatic victory in 2013 and has succeeded in "axing the tax" and "stopping the boats", but key budget measures have been held hostage by a split Senate crossbench.Opinion polls have consistently shown voters prefer Malcolm Turnbull to lead the Liberal Party, but he has his internal critics. As a minister in the Howard and Abbott governments, he earned a reputation as one of the Coalition's best communicators.Mr Turnbull previously held the leadership in Opposition but was ultimately brought down by one vote in a party room ballot. Some from the party's right wing would not countenance his return, while other more moderate MPs believe he is their best chance of political survival. His career before politics was colourful and high-profile, as the head of the republican movement, a successful businessman, lawyer for Kerry Packer and a journalist.Arguably the Liberal Party's most successful woman, Julie Bishop has won acclaim from within her party for her performance as Foreign Minister. She was praised for pushing Australia's case at the United Nations following the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine last July.Ms Bishop is also deputy Liberal leader, a position she held in Opposition under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Brendan Nelson. She was also briefly shadow treasurer but switched to the foreign affairs portfolio after her performance was criticised.Ms Bishop released a statement regarding the spill, saying: "I agreed with the Prime Minister that due to Cabinet solidarity and my position as deputy there should be support for the current leadership in the spill motion."

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said he wanted conventions to be respected.

"The precedent is that it's a secret ballot and I'd expect that it will be a secret ballot on this occasion," he told the ABC's 7.30 program.

But he was clear what his position would be. "I will be voting no against the spill," he said.

My view is that the Prime Minister should be re-elected and Julie Bishop should be re-elected as Deputy Leader. Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne

Employment Minister Eric Abetz also backed a secret ballot.

"The party room has a secret ballot system in place, as I understand it," he said.

"I don't want to get into those mechanics, because I hope at the end of the day it doesn't even get to a motion being put."

Other ministers told the ABC they wanted a secret ballot because they did not want to be "bound" by principle of Cabinet solidarity to support Mr Abbott's leadership.

Despite the spill motion, there is still no challenger for the leadership and Cabinet ministers are refusing to answer questions about what they would do if the party's leadership was spilled.

Speaking on the ABC's AM program, Trade Minister Andrew Robb would not say whether he would run for a leadership position if the spill motion was carried.

"No, look I'm not ... I'm not going to get into hypotheticals because that just feeds the sort of instability," Mr Robb said.

On Sky News, Senator Cormann would not say whether he would serve as a minister if Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister.

"That is a hypothetical, I mean I don't believe that on Tuesday the spill motion will be successful," he said.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Treasurer Joe Hockey faces Liberal spill questions (ABC News)

Treasurer Joe Hockey said the current leadership team had his "absolute and unqualified support" but refused to say whether he would continue in his role if Mr Turnbull took over.

"I am absolutely committed to serving as Treasurer of Australia under Tony Abbott, he's a good man, he is a genuinely good human being," he said.

"It is hugely important for the sake of the nation that there be stability and that's what I expect the Liberal party room will provide this week."

Education Minister Christopher Pyne said it was important his party retained its current leadership.

Mr Pyne told Channel 9 he had discussed the issue with Ms Bishop, saying they talked about, "the importance of maintaining the unity of the Government and supporting the Prime Minister and her in their current roles".

"My view is that the Prime Minister should be re-elected and Julie Bishop should be re-elected as deputy leader," he said.

Topics: abbott-tony, political-parties, government-and-politics, liberals, australia, act, canberra-2600

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