'Narcissistic and self-delusional': Turnbull lashes ministers in new tell-all book

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s much anticipated memoir will hit shelves next week and according to early reports, the disposed leader has a lot to get off his chest.

Mr Turnbull, it seems, is not pulling any punches, calling Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton “narcissistic” and “self-delusional” for thinking he could become PM, skewering Scott Morrison’s “daggy dad” persona and revealing Health Minister Greg Hunt has a proclivity for foul-mouthed rants.

The former Coalition leader has slammed his former political party, in the memoir, which is titled A Bigger Picture, saying it didn’t deserve to win the recent federal election.

He has also revealed details about a “deep depression” he went through in 2009 which led to suicidal thoughts and the prescription of anti-depressants after he lost the party leadership for the first time over the issue of climate change.

In August 2018, Mr Turnbull was dragged down by members of his party who ultimately coalesced around the rightwing faction of the government who opposed action on climate change and the National Energy Guarantee – a plan to ostensibly reduce emissions and power prices.

Of course there’s more to the story than that and the political world is about to hear one side of it, in nearly 700 pages of detail.

Turnbull takes aim at his successor

Mr Turnbull has criticised Scott Morrison's eagerness to portray himself as the “daggy dad” from the suburbs during the election campaign, The Australian reported.

“He's a professional politician who understands marketing and messaging better than most,” Mr Turnbull writes in the book.

"His cringe-worthy 'daggy dad' persona is more exaggerated than it is conflated, but in net terms it probably helped.

“All that aside, however, the truth is that Labor lost the election that the Coalition, after the August coup, did not deserve to win.”

According to The SMH, the former PM also blames Scott Morrison for damaging leaks from the government during high stakes cabinet meetings about tax reform.

During his time as treasurer, Mr Morrison’s leaking would reportedly infuriate ministers to the point Mr Turnbull thought he might offer to resign over a leak about superannuation and negative gearing. Mr Turnbull also reportedly claimed the now PM had to be “propped up” as treasurer.

The former member for Wentworth also let rip on other members of the party’s right, saying Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, a coup leader, was a "narcissist" and "self-delusional" for thinking he could be prime minister.

Mr Dutton instigated the 2018 spill seeking the leadership for himself, but when that clearly became untenable supporters rallied behind Mr Morrison, or so the story goes.

The former Prime Minister has taken aim at Finance Minister Mathias Cormann who he bitterly blames for the betrayal, and Health Minister Greg Hunt who he accuses of regularly using abusive and vulgar language towards others.

Mr Turnbull also tweeted out a photo of the book’s content, revealing a chapter dedicated to Tony Abbott and his former chief advisor Peta Credlin. An explosive 2016 book by political journalist Nikki Savva which detailed the downfall of Mr Abbott’s government suggested a relationship that was more than just professional.

Malcolm on his mental health

In the tell-all memoir Mr Turnbull also revealed suffering through some dark days after he lost the leadership of the party while in opposition after he stood firm on his climate change stance, which included crossing the floor to vote in favour of then PM Kevin Rudd’s emissions trading scheme.

“I remained in a torment of indecision as to whether to stay in parliament … and without realising it, I slipped into a deeper ­depression,” he wrote, according to The Australian.

“I’d never given thought to my mental health before — mental health was something others had to worry about.

“And while I’d had periods of real gloom, especially after the defeat of the republic referendum, what I felt enveloping me now was much more serious,” he wrote.

“For the first time in my life, suicidal thoughts started to enter my mind, unbidden and unwanted.”

Mr Turnbull said he was prescribed anti-depressants and soon announced he would not re-contest the 2010 election.

Government ministers react to the book

Early reactions from some of the current members of the Coalition government who are featured in the book suggest many of them won’t be rushing out to buy it.

Mr Dutton is apparently going to give it a miss.

“I wish Mr Turnbull all the best in his retirement and I'm not going into a tit for tat,” he told 2GB radio on Thursday.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the memoir will likely end up on his bookshelf, but for now he is focused on the government's coronavirus response.

“I'm not going into the entrails of the past,” Mr Frydenberg told Sky News.

“When I get a second I'll start reading books again.”

Meanwhile, Mr Hunt also claimed he won't be reading the memoir.

“None of us are perfect, I absolutely acknowledge that,” he said, eluding the revelations about his behaviour.

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