Why is Abbott in trouble?
Party discontent with Abbott’s leadership was brought to a head over a decision he made without consultation to give Prince Philip a knighthood on Australia Day last month – a decision that Abbott accepted was a “captain’s pick”. It was widely criticised – even in sections of the media usually supportive of Abbott – as ridiculous, fawning and superfluous.
Is the knighthood for Prince Philip the only issue with Abbott?
No. It is seen as the final straw after a series of difficulties for the prime minister and plunging poll ratings. Since coming to office in September 2013, Abbott has struggled to implement his agenda or improve the economy as he had promised. His difficulties were underlined when his party lost a state election held in Queensland on 31 January.
In its first budget last year Abbott’s government broke election pledges not to make cuts to health and education and proposed wide-ranging spending cuts that fell disproportionately on poorer households. Many of the policies had not been mentioned before the election. It also struggled to get legislation through an upper house where an assortment of independents and minor parties hold the balance of power.
Who is leading the fight against him?
Former party leader and current communications minister Malcolm Turnbull has denied plotting against Abbott but he is seen as a leading contender to succeed him, despite being dumped as leader in 2009 over his support for the then Labor government’s carbon trading scheme. He lost the leadership contest, to Abbott, by a single vote.
Polls suggest the Liberal party would no longer trail the opposition Labor party with Turnbull at the helm. Turnbull is a former lawyer who gained worldwide attention in the 1980s when he represented the former MI5 senior officer Peter Wright in the Spycatcher case. He also campaigned against the monarchy during the 1999 referendum, the last time Australians rejected a proposal to become a republic.
Who is backing Abbott?
In a statement that was short on praise, his deputy and foreign minister Julie Bishop said she would support Abbott in the spill motion. But she is seen as the other key contender if Abbott were to lose the spill.
What exactly is a spill?
A spill motion is a means of attempting to change the leadership of a political party, and has become a regular fixture of Australian politics. If a majority of the parliamentary caucus vote in favour, the leadership positions become vacated (“spilled”) and open for re-election. Two MPs – Luke Simpkins and Don Randall – have said they will move a spill motion at the party meeting on Tuesday.
Is Abbott likely to lose the spill?
At this stage it is difficult to call, but even if he survives, his long-term prospects have been severely damaged by the current leadership crisis.
