Who will be Australia's 30th Prime Minister? Photo / supplied
Who will be Australia's 30th Prime Minister? Photo / supplied
Since John Howard was Australia's Prime Minister which ended in 2007, no one has served a full term in our top office. Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Mr Rudd again, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and today we will find out who is Prime Minister number 30.
Malcolm Turnbull has allbut conceded that the Party no longer supports him and if that is the case he won't renominate in a spill and will quit politics altogether.
Three senior Government members have indicated they will run: Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop – but who are they?
Peter Dutton
The hardline conservative, Peter Dutton was Australia's first Home Affairs Minister after serving as the Immigration Minister. Mr Dutton appeals to the Right which feels as though its voice has been silenced.
He is closely aligned to the former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and was the early front runner to win today's leadership ballot after losing Tuesday's spill to Mr Turnbull 48 votes to 35.
If Mr Dutton becomes Australia's next Prime Minister he has already pledged to drop household power bills by 10% just by removing the GST. You can also expect a Dutton Government to make immigration and population policy items on top of his agenda which may put him at odds with the New Zealand Government.
While Mr Dutton's profile has increased this week there is some concern that Australians don't know who he is and there is a cloud of uncertainty of his eligibility to even be a politician over a family trust and childcare centres which receive Commonwealth grants.
The hardline conservative, Peter Dutton was Australia's first Home Affairs Minister. Photo / Getty Images
Scott Morrison
"ScoMo" as he is known was Malcolm Turnbull's Treasurer who loves his Cronulla Sharks rugby league team. He sits to the right of the political spectrum but not as far as Mr Dutton. Mr Turnbull has been working the phones to try and sure up support for Mr Morrison who has been a successful political performer.
One of his major strengths is his ability to articulate his arguments and as Treasurer promised all Australians personal income tax cuts and was trying to cut the company tax rate but that policy was shelved this week because it did not have the support of the parliament.
ScoMo may be more palatable for the Party and would receive some support from the Moderates but being so closely aligned to Mr Turnbull may scare some because they don't want the Government to continue as 'business as usual' and we have heard no policy platforms from this contender.
"ScoMo" as he is known was Malcolm Turnbull's Treasurer who loves his Cronulla Sharks rugby league team. Photo / Getty Images
Julie Bishop
The Foreign Minister has been deputy to Tony Abbott but she rolled over and supported Malcolm Turnbull and retained her position as vice captain in the 2015 coup.
While she's the last challenger to publicly declare her hand don't underestimate Ms Bishop although her role as deputy to both of the previous Prime Ministers could work against her.
Ms Bishop although her role as deputy to both of the previous Prime Ministers could work against her. Photo / Getty Images
If she is to win the leadership she would be the first Liberal woman to be Prime Minister and the second West Australian to ever hold the office.
