How Julie Bishop got Turnbull across the line
Julie Bishop has been there through it all.
Since taking the post of Deputy Prime Minister in 2007, Ms Bishop has served under three different leaders – Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott.
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When Julie Bishop runs for leader - I will insist her campaign theme song is 'Survivor' by Destiny's child. pic.twitter.com/Rv0GHHumOz
— Sam Dastyari (@samdastyari) September 14, 2015
The Foreign Minister is considered one of the LNP’s biggest assets and enjoys widespread support within the party.
She's even been tipped for the top job herself, but has instead remained a steadfast second chair for the party's leaders.
That all changed on Monday night when Ms Bishop became kingmaker in Malcolm Turnbull's return to the Liberal leadership.
She openly withdrew support for Mr Abbott and endorsed his rival, risking her "dream job" as Foreign Minister in the process.
Many commentators believe her camp change was one of the the crucial reasons the numbers fell in Turnbull's favour.
“I was deeply concerned with the despair in the party room," Ms Bishop told Sunrise on Tuesday.
"I was concerned by the fact that the Prime Minister had asked for six months to turn things around and that had not occurred.
“I became aware over recent days that a majority of the party room had lost confidence in Tony’s leadership."
Ms Bishop spoke to Mr Abbott before question time on Monday and told him he no longer had the support of cabinet ministers and that he could either resign or call on a ballot.
“This was a very difficult decision for the Liberal Party and for me personally,” she said.
“We have now a new leader and the challenge is for us to get down to work."
Ms Bishop beat Kevin Andrews 70-30 to retain the position of deputy.
She has rejected comparisons to former Labor leader Julia Gillard - who infamously deposed Kevin Rudd in 2013.
"I am aware of the parallels that will be drawn but I believe I had an obligation to inform him of what they were thinking," she told Sunrise.
"I am the deputy of the party. I stood as deputy. I didn't challenge Tony and I have not challenged for the leadership. So there is no parallel there."
