Australia PM Abbott Unseated by Rival, Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull 

Australians are to have a new prime minister after Tony Abbott was ousted as leader of the Liberal Party by cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In the hastily-arranged party leadership ballot, Mr Abbott, who had been plagued by poor opinion polls, received 44 votes to Mr Turnbull’s 54.
Liberal MPs also voted for Julie Bishop to remain deputy leader of the party.



Malcolm Turnbull, until Monday the communications minister in Mr. Abbott’s conservative Liberal-National ruling coalition, said he was challenging Mr. Abbott for the Liberal Party leadership in a vote to take place later in the day
Mr. Abbott vowed to fight the move.

 “The prime ministership of this country is not a prize or a play thing to be demanded,” he told reporters as he declared his candidacy in the party ballot.
“It should be something which is earned by a vote of the Australian people.”

Mr Turnbull is expected to be sworn in after Mr Abbott writes to the Governor General and resigns.

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