Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was fighting for his job yesterday after backbenchers publicly called for a Liberal Party leadership challenge following months of tensions.
A handful of members of parliament openly revolted late on Tuesday against the conservative leader, whose decision to make Britain’s Prince Philip a knight helped bring simmering anger to the surface.
However, Abbott was quick to hit back yesterday, brushing aside concerns and vowing to hold steady.
West Australian Member of Parliament Dennis Jensen was the first to say the prime minister had to go.
“I don’t think the leader and his office are listening and communicating effectively,” Jensen told ABC television. “I believe that it is necessary that this is brought to a head and lanced.”
Queensland Member of Parliament Warren Entsch reportedly said “something has got to come to a head” and that he would seek a resolution when Liberal Party members and senators meet on Tuesday next week.
Former Australian minister of parliament Mal Brough also broke ranks, telling Sky News: “I don’t have unequivocal support for the prime minister today.”
“The matter needs to be resolved and if Tuesday is the appropriate time for people to talk about it ... then it’s for them to say so,” Brough said.
Asked on Sydney’s 2GB radio if his leadership was “terminal,” the prime minister replied: “I am determined to deliver steady, stable, solid, dependable government and that’s what I’m going to do every day.”
Abbott described the revolt as just a sign of a “robust” Liberal Party room — the meeting of all members of the party in both houses of parliament.
“Everyone in the party room understands ... that the last thing we should do is go anywhere near reproducing the rabble of the Labor years,” he said.
Two prime ministers were ousted under the previous government.
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