At 4pm on Monday, Malcolm Turnbull announced he would ask Tony Abbott for a leadership ballot. Just over six hours later he had been chosen by Liberal politicians as the new leader of the Liberal party.
Turnbull’s arguably more moderate views – especially on climate change – mean he faces ideological opposition from some within his own party, and some Nationals politicians have indicated that the Coalition agreement will have to be renegotiated.
The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, put on a brave face after the result was announced, but opinion polls suggest Turnbull would be far harder for him to defeat in an election than Abbott.
In Canning, Western Australia, a byelection is looming on Saturday. The Liberal candidate, Andrew Hastie, played down the impact of the leadership battle on Monday night, but his Labor rival, Matt Keogh, tried to make political headway by saying it showed the dysfunctional nature of the government.
What effect will the leadership drama have on the vote? Is it good or bad for Labor and the smaller parties? How will Turnbull’s promise of a new style of leadership play with the voters? And do you think he will be a better prime minister than Tony Abbott?
Tell us what you think below.
