ScoMo pledges 'we're on your side' after Libspill chaos
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has addressed the country, vowing to ‘do what is right’ for Australia, with a focus on bringing parliament and the nation back together.
“My plan for this country, is for an even stronger Australia. To keep our economy strong. To guarantee the essentials that Australians rely on,” Mr Morrison said after a week of political turmoil.
“To keep Australians safe, from terrorism, and all the way to bullying in our schools. To keep our country together.
“We have a lot of challenges as a country, and we will get through them as we always have, together.”
Mr Morrison fended off a question about why a party would remove their own leader.
“You are looking at two people who did not do that today,” he said referring to himself and his new deputy prime minister Josh Frydenberg.
He also hosed down speculation of an early election during his address.
“I don’t think anyone should be making any plans for an election any time soon,” he said.
On the top of his agenda as Prime Minister is the crippling drought affecting farmers in New South Wales and Queensland.
“This is our most urgent and pressing need right now,” Mr Morrison said.
His three main priorities are “keeping our economy strong, keeping our community safe, and keeping Australians together”.
The former treasurer won the Liberal leadership spill edging out Peter Dutton 45 to 40 in a partyroom meeting on Canberra on Friday afternoon.
Mr Frydenberg has been appointed as deputy leader, beating Steve Ciobo and Greg Hunt.
‘Australians will be appalled by the conduct’: Turnbull’s last speech
Malcolm Turnbull is expected to quit parliament before the next federal election, but he maintained his relentless positivity even after he was brutally kicked out of the top job.
“It may surprise you on a day like this but I remain very optimistic and positive about our nation’s future,” Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday.
But he was scathing of the men he blamed for his demise and seemed to take some comfort that Scott Morrison beat Mr Dutton in the party vote for prime minister.
“Australians will be just dumbstruck and so appalled by the conduct of the last week,” Mr Turnbull said after surviving one leadership spill and stepping down before a second.
“Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott and others who chose to deliberately attack the government from within, they did so because they wanted to bring the government down.”
He said he had been toppled by a “determined insurgency” backed by powerful voices in the media, but his colleagues had voted for “loyalty above disloyalty”.
“In so far as there has been chaos this week, it has been created by the wreckers,” Mr Turnbull said.
The insurgents and their “deliberate destructive action” had not been rewarded by electing former home affairs minister Mr Dutton, Mr Turnbull said.
The Wentworth MP – first elected in 2004 – won’t be around in Canberra for much longer.
“I’ll be leaving the parliament in – not – not before too long. As I have always said,” he said.
“I’ve been very clear about that. It’s not a secret.”
His farewell media conference included a visit from his wife Lucy and their daughter and grandchildren.
“The Australians we should be focused on above all else are these little ones,” he said.
– with agencies
