How a leadership spill could make Julie Bishop Australia’s second female prime minister

An impending leadership spill could see Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull lose the top job, but not to the most likely challenger Peter Dutton.

Instead the keys to the Lodge could end up in the hands of Julie Bishop, Australia’s popular globe-trotting Foreign Minister and deputy leader of the Liberal Party since 2007, who has kept a low profile during the crisis so far.

Mr Dutton, the Home Affairs Minister who has enthusiastically deported 1,300 New Zealanders since 2015, is backed by at least ten rebel MPs furious about Mr Turnbull’s National Energy Guarantee.

The keys to the Lodge could end up in the hands of Julie Bishop (pictured), Australia’s popular globe-trotting Foreign Minister and deputy leader of the Liberal Party since 2007

An impending leadership spill could see Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull lose the top job, but not to challenger Peter Dutton (pictured)

An impending leadership spill could see Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull lose the top job, but not to challenger Peter Dutton (pictured)

Led by backbench agitator and former prime minister Tony Abbott, the group of dissenting conservatives are looking to oust Mr Turnbull following his 38th consecutive Newspoll loss to Bill Shorten’s Labor Party.

Ms Bishop has been flagged as a possible leadership contender in the past, and would present to many in the party room as a more appealing moderate alternative to Mr Dutton, a former Queensland police officer.

The former partner of a corporate lawyer with Clayton Utz could emerge as a surprise leader as Tony Abbott did in 2009.

Nine years ago, Mr Turnbull was replaced as Opposition Leader after conservative Liberal MPs baulked at the idea of helping Kevin Rudd’s Labor government pass its emissions trading scheme.

Joe Hockey ran, splitting the moderate vote between him and Mr Turnbull, which helped Mr Abbott emerge victorious in the next round of voting.

Were Mr Turnbull to pull out of the race, and throw his support behind his deputy, Ms Bishop could emerge as become Australia’s second female prime minister after Julia Gillard.

The prime ministership could end up in the hands of Julie Bishop (pictured), deputy leader of the Liberal Party and Minister for Foreign Affairs

The prime ministership could end up in the hands of Julie Bishop (pictured), deputy leader of the Liberal Party and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Mr Dutton is backed by at least ten rebel MPs furious about Mr Turnbull's National Energy Guarantee (pictured is Mr Turnbull)

Mr Dutton is backed by at least ten rebel MPs furious about Mr Turnbull’s National Energy Guarantee (pictured is Mr Turnbull)

Following Mr Turnbull’s 30th straight Newspoll loss earlier this year Ms Bishop was asked about her leadership ambitions but refused to put her name forward.

Poll

Who do you prefer in a leadership spill?

  • Julie Bishop 1 votes
  • Malcolm Turnbull 0 votes
  • Peter Dutton 0 votes

At the time Newspoll had her as the second-most popular candidate to lead the Liberal Party after Mr Turnbull, but only polling one per cent behind the PM.

Now the knives are out for Mr Turnbull because of his controversial energy policy, and a Fairfax/Ipsos poll indicating the Coalition is lagging ten points behind Labor.

On Monday Mr Turnbull announced a raft of major changes to the NEG in a desperate attempt to stave off a potential challenge.

Despite the Prime Minister’s reneging on legislating a 26 per cent emissions cut, a Liberal National Party boss urged MPs in his state to shift their support to Mr Dutton.

Queensland LNP president Gary Spence said half of the 21 members could lose their seats in the next election if Mr Turnbull remained in charge.

Ms Bishop (pictured) has been flagged as a possible leadership contender in the past, and would present a moderate alternative to the embattled Mr Turnbull

Ms Bishop (pictured) has been flagged as a possible leadership contender in the past, and would present a moderate alternative to the embattled Mr Turnbull

Ms Bishop has kept a low profile while rumours about Mr Dutton’s potential challenge swirl, and would be unlikely to contest a three-way spill.

She has a big media profile and appeared on the front of this month’s Australian Women’s Weekly. 

If Malcolm Turnbull survives for another four days, he would surpass Gough Whitlam’s 1,074 days in office.

He needs to be in office for another 29 days to overtake Julia Gillard’s 1,099 days as PM. 

She was ousted in June 2013 after a string of disastrous Newspoll ratings and was replaced with her Labor predecessor Kevin Rudd.

Recent history could repeat itself soon. 

Ms Bishop (pictured) has kept a low profile while rumours about Mr Dutton's potential challenge swirl, and would be unlikely to contest a three-way spill

Ms Bishop (pictured) has kept a low profile while rumours about Mr Dutton’s potential challenge swirl, and would be unlikely to contest a three-way spill



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