Australian government moves to adjourn Parliament as PM Turnbull’s leadership looks doomed

Ten government ministers in Australia offered to resign on Wednesday following a failed bid to oust Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as party leader.

Australian media reported that Mr Turnbull was resisting Mr Dutton’s calls for a second vote on Thursday.

He said he was appalled by the actions of the Liberal Party.

Their statement came hours after former home affairs minister Peter Dutton announced that he had challenged Turnbull to another party leadership contest, indicating that he was confident of victory.

Bishop said the resignations of Dutton and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the former minister for global development and the Pacific, were accepted.

An angry Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called for an election on the grounds that halting Parliament showed the government was no longer functioning.

Key supporter Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Turnbull no longer had majority party support and Dutton was now the best person to lead the conservative government to the next election, due by May 2019.

Shorten said the “cannibalistic behavior” over the Liberal leadership was eating the government alive.

“In terms of my own intentions, when the party room meeting is called, I will invite a spill motion to be moved”.

Mr Turnbull told a news conference he has asked for a letter from the MPs who want another vote, and if he gets that he will hold a party meeting tomorrow. And when your opponents are widely loathed like Dutton and Morrison, what’s to lose?

The opposition narrowly lost a vote in Parliament that would have sent Dutton to court to determine whether he is eligible to be a prime minister.

It wouldn’t be the first time there have been reports Bishop would be part of a leadership challenge. She is pictured here with PM Malcolm Turnbull.

Late on Thursday night, Mr Dutton published legal advice from David Bennett QC arguing there was no breach of the constitution.

Deepening speculation about Mr Turnbull’s future, Governor-General Peter Cosgrove cancelled travel plans and will remain in Canberra this week, a source familiar with the plans told Reuters.

“I wouldn’t have contacted the Prime Minister if I didn’t believe I had majority support”, Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra a short time later.

In a weird parallel, either Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison or Julie Bishop could also become PM during the last week of winter.

Sydney University constitutional law professor Anne Twomey said the Governor-General would seek assurance that a new prime minister had support in the lower house.

Australian newspapers echoed the frustration many voters feel over the constant leadership changes. “I have never given in to bullies”, he added.

Dr Williams said that with more crossbench MPs than 1941, whoever succeeded Mr Turnbull could find themselves at the mercy of independent and Greens MPs.

Nationals MP Kevin Hogan vowed to leave the Coalition to sit on the crossbench in Parliament, while supporting the government on confidence motions and supply, because of the disarray.

Griffith University political scientist Dr Paul Williams said it was conceivable his seat would be lost to a progressive independent candidate, or even the Greens on preferences.