Australia`s Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who challenged PM Malcolm Turnbull, has resigned from Cabinet and will sit on the backbench

Source: Interest, 21/08/2018

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will remain in the top job
after winning a Liberal Party leadership ballot following a turbulent
few political days across the Tasman.
Turnbull won 48 votes in Cabinet, beating out Home Affairs Minister
Peter Dutton’s 35.
Dutton has resigned from Cabinet and will sit on the backbench. This
is despite Turnbull saying he was able to stay on as a Cabinet Minister.
The Liberal Party’s Deputy Leader, Julie Bishop, will remain in her
job after winning the ballot uncontested.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Turnbull referenced “unity” a
number of times.
He says Dutton has done an “outstanding” job as Home Affairs Minister
and Turnbull thanked him for his work.
“I have invited him to continue in that office, however, he has said
to me, and we have had a good discussion about it, he doesn’t feel he
can remain in the Cabinet, having challenged me for the Leadership of
the party.”
Scott Morrison will take Dutton’s place as Home Affairs Minister.
Turnbull says he does not bear a grudge against Dutton for his
leadership challenge.
He says there are always differences within political parties, but
it’s important those are left in the past.
Not long after Turnbull addressed media, it was Dutton’s turn. He told
reporters his decision to challenge Turnbull was not because he had
any animosity towards him, but because he wanted to make sure [Labor
Leader] Bill Shorten is never Prime Minister.
“I believe I had the best prospect of leading the Liberal Party to
success at the next election.”
He says he “fully support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet” but
would not rule out another leadership challenge before the election.
‘Overwhelming vote of support’
Tuesday’s vote, he says, is a “reminder to political parties to be
united and determined to keep delivering for the people for whom they
work.”
He says disunity undermines the ability of any Government to get its
job done.
As the leadership ballot was secret, Turnbull was not able to say who
voted against him.
Bishop says the vote was an “overwhelming vote of support for the
Prime Minister.”
“I have seen leadership challenges before and it’s a resounding vote
of support in the leadership team �` we don’t take it for granted.
“What I say to all those who didn’t vote for the Prime Minister, we
now have the opportunity to focus on what the electorate want to hear
from us.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the leadership of the Governing Liberal Party was
declared vacant as MPs gathered in the Aussie Parliament to vote.
The leadership spill came after Turnbull backtracked on two of the
party’s major energy policies within 24 hours.