Radio Brisvaani
Scott Morrison has been chosen by the Liberal party room as Australia’s 30th Prime Minister. Mr. Morrison defeated Peter Dutton 45 votes to 40 in the secret ballot. Leadership candidate Julie Bishop was knocked out in the first round.
The decision capped off a week of turmoil in Canberra that began after Mr Dutton declared his intention to force Malcolm Turnbull from the prime ministership, saying the party needed to make a change if it was to win the forthcoming federal election, due before May 18 next year.
Mr Turnbull, who became prime minister in 2015 following a spill against Tony Abbott, stood aside on Friday after receiving a petition from a majority of Liberal MPs demanding a ballot to select a new leader. He has indicated he will resign from Parliament, potentially forcing a byelection in his seat of Wentworth.
Australia has now changed its prime minister six times since the 2007 election.
Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg has been elected deputy Liberal leader. Mr Frydenberg will take over from Ms Bishop who had served as deputy Liberal leader under Mr Turnbull and Tony Abbott.
After leaving the party room meeting, Mr Dutton offered his congratulations to Mr Morrison and thanked Mr Turnbull and Ms Bishop for their service. He said his objective was to “provide loyalty” and “make sure we win the election”.
Mr Abbott, who backed Mr Dutton in his challenge for the leadership, said, “We have lost the Prime Minister but there is still a government to save. That’s what all of us will do our best to do now, to save the government.”
“As we have been reminding ourselves, we are the custodians of great cultural traditions, the liberal tradition of smaller government, greater freedom, lower taxes, the conservative, traditional support for families, small business and values and institutions that have stood the rich test of time.
“But above all we are patriots, we want to make the country is strong and as good as it possibly can be, based on the wonderful achievements we already have to our name,” Mr Abbott said.
Mr Morrison did not comment as he left the meeting.
Mr Turnbull and Ms Bishop left together and did not stop to speak to the media.
Mr Turnbull will hold a press conference later this afternoon.
Mr Morrison is then expected to make the short drive from Parliament House to Government House in Yarralumla where he will be sworn in as prime minister by the Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove.
