Love is not going well. Via The Australian:
Scott Morrison has called on Malcolm Turnbull to stop undermining the government, with the Prime Minister’s office approaching key members of the ousted leader’s camp in a bid to end leaking and destabilisation.
The appeal comes amid accusations that Mr Turnbull and his former deputy, Julie Bishop, have engaged in a campaign of subversion by casting further doubt over the eligibility of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to sit in parliament, in an implicit threat to the government’s majority.
The Australian has confirmed that Mr Morrison’s office has contacted several key figures close to Mr Turnbull over the past 48 hours seeking a detente after weeks of damaging leaks against the new Morrison government from suspected former Turnbull government insiders.
Not well at all, at the Herald Sun:
SCOTT Morrison faces a crisis vote next week, with two more Liberal MPs threatening to join Julie Bishop in a backbench rebellion that could force Peter Dutton to face the High Court.
The two MPs have told the Herald Sun they are considering voting with Labor to force the High Court to rule on whether Mr Dutton is ineligible to sit in Parliament.
“He should do the right thing and refer himself,” one said.
Downright badly at the SMH:
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has questioned whether some Liberal MPs acted illegally during last month’s leadership spill.
…The former deputy Liberal leader says its a difficult situation to name someone of doing something that may be “illegal”.
Ms Bishop also backed fellow Liberal Julia Banks, who is quitting politics over “appalling” bullying, intimidation and harassment during the recent leadership spill.
And it’s bald-faced revenge at The Age:
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been overruled after the NSW Liberals defied his push for a female candidate to run in Wentworth and instead backed former ambassador Dave Sharma.
…Ms O’Regan had started the day as the clear frontrunner after Mr Morrison had stressed that a woman should be pre-selected. But 11th hour interventions by former prime ministers ended her chances.
Former prime minister John Howard spoke to Mr Sharma on Thursday…Shortly after, Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull called Mr Sharma from New York…and told him to run and offered their support.
The Libs now have three ex-PMs and one current PM pulling strings.
Love will tear us apart.
