Scott Morrison is the new Prime Minister of Australia, the fifth of the past five years, following the divisive overthrow of Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Morrison prevailed in a three-way battle with former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Ms Bishop was eliminated first after getting the lowest vote, and Mr Morrison then defeated Mr Dutton in the next round by five votes, 45 to 40.
Government Whip Nola Marino said the deputy position was won by Josh Frydenberg with an absolute majority.
The spill took place in a partyroom meeting at 12.20pm, after 45 members voted in favour of spilling and 40 against, resulting in the Liberal leadership being declared vacant when Mr Turnbull resigned, as he promised on Thursday.
Mr Turnbull has not yet indicated to the meeting when he will retire from parliament.
An immediate retirement would trigger a by-election in the New South Wales seat of Wentworth.
The meeting followed a tense morning in Canberra during which the Solicitor-General said challenger Peter Dutton was likely clear to sit in Parliament.
Attorney-General Christian Porter on Friday said he had received advice from Solicitor-General Stephen Donoghue QC about Mr Dutton’s eligibility over his financial interests in Commonwealth-funded childcare centres.
The advice was given to both Mr Dutton and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, before the 43 signatures needed to force the leadership spill were secured.
‘I have just been provided with a request for a meeting of the Parliamentary Liberal Party. It has 43 signatures,’ Mr Turnbull said in a statement after receiving the letter.
‘As soon as they are verified by the Whips, which should not take long, the meeting will be called.’
Mr Donaghue found there is ‘some risk’ the High Court would find Mr Dutton has a conflict of interest over federal payments to the childcare centres.
‘However, while that risk cannot be entirely discounted, it would remain necessary for the Court to identify an agreement in which Mr Dutton held that interest,’ Mr Donaghue said in legal advice released on Friday.
‘I am unable to identify such an agreement.
‘I consider it unlikely that Mr Dutton is disqualified by reason of payments made to RHT Investments under the Inclusion Support Programme.’
Mr Dutton released a statement saying the SG’s finding’s were consistent with his previous legal advice on the matter.
‘The consistent and strong advice which I have received puts to rest the false, unsubstantiated and malicious claims regarding my eligibility to sit as a Member of Parliament,’ he said.
Section 44 of the Constitution bans from parliament persons who have ‘any direct or indirect pecuniary interest with the public service of the Commonwealth’.
Mr Donaghue said it was not possible to reach a definitive conclusion without more detailed information.
Constitutional expert George Williams said the solicitor-general’s advice was ‘spot on’.
‘It is more likely that Peter Dutton is not disqualified, but this cannot be stated with certainty,’ Professor Williams said.
‘As the SG says, there is a risk he is in breach of section 44. Only the High Court can resolve this cloud of doubt.’
The 43 names needed to force a spill were secured on Friday morning. Warren Entsch made up the final signature.
The legal advice comes as one of Mr Turnbull’s most loyal supporters, former Finance Minister Mathia Cormann, declared his support for Mr Dutton.
Mr Cormann said the Member for Dickson in outer Brisbane is the man to win back John Howard’s battlers and unite the fractured party.
‘Peter Dutton connects very well to hard-working, aspirational Australians,’ Mr Cormann told Sky News on Friday.
‘I believe he will be able to reconnect with the Howard battlers - bring them back in the Liberal fold.
‘He knows what it takes to connect to families around Australia wanting to get ahead.’
Mr Cormann, who is a close friend of Mr Dutton, said the former home affairs minister was best equipped to unite the Liberals and win the next federal election.
Source: Daily Mail
-Agencies
