9 News.png Aussie PM shirtfronted Turnbull beats Abbott for leadership AAP, 9 News, Australia, 14 September 2015 Malcolm Turnbull has ousted Tony Abbott as federal Liberal leader, winning a party room ballot 54-44. Julie Bishop defeated Kevin Andrews for the deputy leadership 70-30, after Michael Ronaldson joined the meeting to take the total voter numbers to 100. Mr Turnbull will become Australia's 29th prime minister once he is sworn in by the governor-general, most likely on Tuesday. The party room met at 9.15pm (AEST) to vote on a leader and deputy leader. Mr Turnbull arrived smiling, with a small group of supporters including Wyatt Roy and Mitch Fifield. An unsmiling Julie Bishop arrived shortly after Mr Turnbull entered the room. Scott Morrison, Sussan Ley and Andrew Robb were among the cabinet ministers to arrive on their own. Mr Abbott arrived shortly before the doors closed with a group of about 20 supporters. They included backbenchers Karen McNamara and Natasha Briggs as well as a number of cabinet ministers including Joe Hockey, Peter Dutton, Mathias Cormann and Eric Abetz. Earlier on Monday, Mr Abbott said he would win the ballot, however senior Liberal sources said Mr Turnbull had the edge. The prime minister said the country needed strong and stable government and that meant avoiding "Labor's revolving-door prime ministership". "The prime ministership of this country is not a prize or a plaything to be demanded - it should be something which is earned by a vote of the Australian people," Mr Abbott told reporters in a brief statement. Mr Abbott said he had been dismayed by the destabilisation over a period of "many months". "I firmly believe that our party is better than this, that our government is better than this and, by God, that our country is so much better than this." Mr Turnbull announced his challenge at 4pm on Monday, levelling an attack on Mr Abbott, saying Australia needed new leadership, after trailing Labor in the polls since the 2014 budget. "A style of leadership that respects the people's intelligence, that explains these complex issues and then sets out the course of action we believe we should take and makes a case for it," Mr Turnbull said. "We need advocacy, not slogans." The coalition was headed for a loss at the next election under Mr Abbott and could not run the risk of handing Bill Shorten the prime ministership. Mr Turnbull said Mr Abbott's leadership style fell far short of John Howard's "good cabinet government". "There must be an end to policy on the run and captain's calls," he said. Mr Turnbull apologised for having launched the challenge just days out from the Canning by-election in Western Australia, but still expected Liberal candidate Andrew Hastie to win. The deputy role will also be spilled after Julie Bishop and Mr Turnbull met separately with the prime minister on Monday afternoon to tell him they had lost confidence in his leadership. Mr Morrison is understood to have thrown his weight behind Mr Abbott and is expected to take over as treasurer. Treasurer Joe Hockey told reporters in a brief statement the prime minister had his "absolute loyalty", taking aim at Mr Turnbull for never having raised concerns about economic leadership. "We must put the national interest ahead of any self-interest," he said. Mr Dutton said he believed Mr Abbott would continue as leader. "The prime minister deserves our support," he told Sky News. Ms Bishop had "questions to answer" over her loyalty, he said. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says Tony Abbott will survive a Liberal leadership ballot. "I believe the prime minister has the support of the party room and that will be the outcome after the result tonight," he told Sky News. Former minister Arthur Sinodinos said he would be supporting Mr Turnbull, as he understood the changes in the economy. Senator Sinodinos said the government could not afford any more captain's picks. Liberal MP Wyatt Roy said he would be voting for Mr Turnbull. His party colleague Craig Kelly tweeted: "I'm still with Tony." Another Liberal MP, Ian Goodenough, also said on Twitter he would be loyal to Mr Abbott. Government whip Andrew Nikolic says Mr Abbott will be returned as leader. "The last thing we need is to repeat the dysfunction of the Labor party and I think Tony Abbott will get strong support in the party room," he told ABC TV. C AAP 2015 From: <http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/09/14/03/35/leadership-woes-to-again- taunt-abbott> http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/09/14/03/35/leadership-woes-to-again-t aunt-abbott -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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