Julie Bishop stares down leadership speculation
Questions about the ongoing Liberal leadership crisis have followed Julie Bishop to New Zealand, where she is attending a bilateral summit.
The Foreign Minister held a joint press conference with her Kiwi counterpart Murray McCully on Friday, and just like their Australian colleagues, there was only one topic on the minds of New Zealand reporters.
When asked if she would stand against Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull in a leadership spill, Ms Bishop responded with her trademark death stare.
"These are hypothetical questions and this is all based on speculation and rumour," she said.
"I've not seen any source attributed to any particular member or minister. So it's hypothetical, it is speculation, I don't intend to add to it."
Ms Bishop said her colleagues should be focused on 'governing Australia.'
"I'm getting on with my job as Foreign Minister. The Prime Minister is getting on with his job as Prime Minister,” she said.
“We urge our colleagues to focus on the interests and the concerns of the Australian people. That's what we were elected to do."
Mr McCully could not escape questions either but said he was "not at all concerned as to what’s happening in Australian politics.”
"Look, as I say, both countries have to deal with their own destinies in terms of their political situations," he said.
"New Zealand focuses on dealing with its own politics and we worked very hard to make sure the Trans-Tasman relationship is a good and effective one. That's certainly the case at the moment."
