Tony Abbott: Prime Minister concedes he could lose vote against motion for Liberal leadership spill

Updated

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has conceded he could lose in today's party room vote, describing the Liberal leadership stoush as a "very chastening" experience.

Mr Abbott also said that how his frontbench MPs voted would be "entirely" up to them.

Liberal MPs and senators will meet at 9:00am (AEDT) today to vote on a motion to spill the leadership, with Mr Abbott and deputy leader Julie Bishop so far declared to contest the positions they already hold.

No other contender has yet emerged, though former leader Malcolm Turnbull was seen as the only real alternative prime minister.

Mr Abbott again warned his colleagues not to "look like the Labor Party" and "roll" a prime minister.

But when pressed, he conceded it "could" happen.

And as Mr Abbott worked to secure the numbers to defeat the spill motion and prevent a contest, he revealed a promise to wavering South Australian MPs that a competitive process would be held to build the nation's next fleet of submarines.

In an exclusive interview with ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann, Mr Abbott said he had "always intended" to open up the bids to tender and denied it was a multi-billion-dollar bargain for party room votes.

"We are still a long way from doing this," Mr Abbott said.

"The decision on this needs to be made by the end of the year at the latest, but nevertheless it is something which is still evolving, as you'd expect."

But the matter warranted a personal call to SA Liberal senator Sean Edwards.

"The Prime Minister has called me and he has told me this and this is significant news," Senator Edwards said on arrival in Canberra.

Abbott says spill motion a 'chastening' experience

Mr Abbott promised that if he held on to power, his Government would be "different and better this year than we were in every respect last year".

"It's a pretty chastening experience to have a spill motion moved on you after just 16 months in government - a very chastening experience," he said on Sunday.

"And I am determined that my Government, if it continues after tomorrow, will learn from this experience, will be different and better."

The party room process will begin with a motion to open up or spill the leadership positions and the vote will be by secret ballot.

The ABC has been told that the Prime Minister's office has put pressure on ministers to publicly back Mr Abbott, and so far about half of the 34 ministers and parliamentary secretaries have come out to say they would vote against the spill motion.

On Sunday evening Mr Abbott said: "It's entirely up to ministers and parliamentary secretaries how they vote.

"It is a secret ballot. Now, I would expect that if a minister was incapable of supporting the Government, the minister in question would've spoken to me, and none of them have.

"But nevertheless this is an opportunity for people to do what they genuinely believe is right for the Government and for the country."

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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."

'I will not let this country down, I will not let my party down'

On Sunday morning Mr Abbott revealed he would act to bring forward the party room meeting from its usual time of Tuesday morning, saying it was in the best interests of the Liberal Party.

He later told the ABC that he understood that "all prime ministers are in a sense on probation".

"But obviously the wood will be on me to perform. It will be even more on me to perform in the future than it's been in the past," he said.

"But I will not let this country down and I will not let my party down."

Mr Turnbull described the change of day for the vote as a "captain's call" and the decision did not please other senior party figures.

"I am disappointed that the spill motion will now be considered on Monday and not Tuesday," said Senator Arthur Sinodinos, who declared he would support the motion.

"That is the normal time for these matters to be considered. It gives us proper in-depth discussion of the issues."

Cabinet ministers are putting pressure on their frontbench colleagues to "act honourably" and oppose a leadership spill motion - or resign.

Attorney-General George Brandis said he believed his frontbench colleagues were duty bound to support Mr Abbott.

"I believe that my colleagues will act honourably," he said.

But one minister told the ABC that he refused to be "paraded" despite the pressure and that he and other frontbenchers would be voting with their conscience.

Topics: turnbull-malcolm, abbott-tony, bishop-julie, liberals, political-parties, government-and-politics, australia

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