Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey could become the new leader of the Liberal Party tomorrow, despite previously saying he would support current leader Malcolm Turnbull.
The potential takeover comes after Tony Abbott, who resigned his front bench position last week along with former communications spokesman Nick Minchin, also said he would be challenging Turnbull for the leadership.
While Abbott said last week he would offer a challenge today, support for Hockey as a preferred leader has grown over the weekend. When Abbott himself was questioned about whether he would withdraw his application for Hockey, he replied: “If Joe’s available, let it be Joe”.
But Turnbull is refusing to step aside and says he continues to support the Government’s revised emissions trading scheme.
Hockey has previously said he would support Turnbull during a leadership challenge. But it is now believed if Turnbull steps aside, Hockey will attempt to take the open position.
It is understood Hockey will speak with Turnbull today requesting him to step down, but Turnbull said yesterday he intends to stay on until forced to leave.
”I will win on Tuesday and I am not interested in becoming a mouthpiece or a patsy or a tool for people whose views are completely wrong and are contrary to the best interests of our nation, our planet and indeed the Liberal Party,” Turnbull told the Nine Network yesterday.
He also said there was “a recklessness and a wilfulness in these men which is going to destroy the Liberal party”, referring to several climate change sceptics within the party who have openly challenged Turnbull’s wisdom on the issue.
He openly attacked the sceptics, saying that when “the hard right, the climate deniers, didn’t like the decision of the party room, they demanded a spill and they lost again. Within 36 hours of losing that spill they started calling another. They will not give up until they’ve bullied and intimidated the majority of the party into agreeing with their position.”
”Nick Minchin is determined to do nothing on climate change… Nick Minchin thinks the planet is cooling… If he wins this battle, he condemns our party to irrelevance.”
Turnbull also referenced the coming leadership battle, saying it did not matter whether “Joe Hockey or Billy Bloggs” took the leadership. “If we put the party back together in accordance with Nick Minchin’s wishes, then we will end up becoming a fringe party of the far right – that is what he is doing to what used to be the Liberal Party”.
The call for a meeting tomorrow comes after MP Kevin Andrews challenged Turnbull last week, calling for a leadership spill. While the motion failed, it is expected a challenge with Hockey or Abbott as a candidate would gain more support.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
