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Judgment day has ministers on edge with some to be sacked, Joe Hockey to survive
Date
September 18, 2015 - 7:32PM
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Comments 189
Mark Kenny
Mark Kenny

Chief political correspondent

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Tony Abbott's final words from Kirribilli House
The former prime minister briefly addresses the media from Kirribilli House, ahe
ad of his departure on Friday night. Vision: Nine News.
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Abbott offered me Treasurer's role: Morrison
Sketch: Morrison 1, Hadley 0
Abbott staffer greets new Prime MInister Turnbull with expletive
Treasurer Joe Hockey is set to survive and be installed in another cabinet post
when Malcolm Turnbull names a frontbench team on Sunday, after a near-death expe
rience in which even Tony Abbott had offered to dump him in favour of Scott Morr
ison in a last-ditch attempt to save himself .
But other former Howard government ministers including Kevin Andrews, Ian Macfar
lane, and Eric Abetz will probably be shown the door, according to a consensus o
f several government figures, eagerly awaiting Mr Turnbull's final line-up.
Treasurer Joe Hockey appears likely to retain a spot in cabinet under new Prime
Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Treasurer Joe Hockey appears likely to retain a spot in cabinet under new Prime
Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Photo: Andrew Meares
They will be part of the moves to make way for young talent such as Simon Birmin
gham, Scott Ryan, and Kelly O'Dwyer, and the elevation of older hands such as Ar
thur Sinodinos and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.
The reshuffle is Mr Turnbull's first big test as Prime Minister and will be unve
iled within hours of the result being known in the Canning byelection.
Late opinion polling suggests the leadership switch has markedly improved the Li
berals' chances, but a near certain win for the government did not stop the main
parties throwing final resources at the fight with Bill Shorten hitting the hus
tings for Labor and Julie Bishop leading the push for the Liberals.
Tony Abbott packs a car before he and Margie leave Kirribilli House for the last
time on Friday.
Tony Abbott packs a car before he and Margie leave Kirribilli House for the last
time on Friday. Photo: Janie Barrett
As much as 10 per cent of the electorate will have cast pre-poll and postal vote
s before last Monday's explosive events in Canberra, meaning they were not influ
enced by the controversy and will reflect the government's poorer standing under

Mr Abbott's leadership.
Mr Hockey, who surprised Turnbull backers by not immediately resigning from the
government's chief economic post when Mr Abbott was dumped, has since flagged a
willingness to serve in another capacity.
Sources close to the process confirmed Mr Turnbull had begun ringing key appoint
ments over Thursday and Friday.
Tony Abbott's suits leave Parliament House through the basement on Friday.
Tony Abbott's suits leave Parliament House through the basement on Friday. Photo
: Supplied
The insider said despite public friction between Mr Turnbull and Mr Hockey, the
Treasurer is now likely to be retained in cabinet as the new Prime Minister look
s to heal the wounds of Monday's ferocious leadership showdown.
Mr Turnbull is understood to have concluded that for all of the government's fau
lts in economic explanation - a critique he had cited to justify his challenge o
f Mr Abbott - Mr Hockey is an experienced senior figure with much to offer.
Fairfax Media understands he will be replaced in the coveted Treasury post by So
cial Services Minister Scott Morrison.
The right-backed Mr Morrison, who made his name as the Abbott government ministe
r who famously "stopped the boats," revealed on Friday, that he had expressly re
jected an offer from a desperate Mr Abbott to run as the then prime minister's d
eputy on a joint ticket aimed at defeating Mr Turnbull and seeing off Ms Bishop
as well.
Confirmation of the offer came during a combative interview with the conservativ
e radio host Ray Hadley, in which Mr Morrison first refused, and then angrily ag
reed to swear on a bible that he had not betrayed Tony Abbott by organising supp
orters to vote against him.
"If that's what you need, then we don't have the relationship that I thought we
had," a clearly affronted Mr Morrison told the broadcaster in an interview that
was at times laughable, and in which Hadley was called "mate" 18 times.
Hadley repeatedly claimed that even though Mr Morrison had voted for Mr Abbott,
the influential minister had arranged for several of his supporters to swing beh
ind Mr Turnbull, ensuring his victory.
The minister, who did not deny he would be promoted to the Treasury in the Turnb
ull cabinet next week, angrily told Hadley that he was not going to allow his Ch
ristian faith to be used "for a stunt for your program".
However he later agreed to do it, before the usually chummy regular spot ended i
n acrimony.
The revelation that Mr Abbott attempted to use his loyal Treasurer as a human pa
wn to save his own skin is another blow to Mr Hockey's morale. But sources in bo
th camps say Mr Hockey has "moved beyond" the traumas of the leadership change a
nd now has a positive attitude and a good chance of staying in the cabinet.
According to a senior source, Mr Abbott also attempted to prevail upon Christoph
er Pyne and Peter Dutton to run as his deputy against Ms Bishop but both decline
d.
Insiders list the possibilities for Mr Hockey as defence, education, or communic

ations. Although one minister said the prospect of Mr Hockey in defence was zero
, and tipped Senator Birmingham as a possible communications minister.
It is expected to made vacant by the forced retirement of the avowed anti-Turnbu
ll Victorian, Kevin Andrews. Both he and the other likely backbench returnee, Em
ployment Minister Eric Abetz, were seen to campaign publicly for their jobs afte
r Mr Abbott's replacement, despite their trenchant opposition to Mr Turnbull's b
id.
One Liberal called that behaviour "craven".
Mr Andrews, who was the so-called "suicide bomber" who sparked Mr Turnbull's lea
dership collapse in 2009 while in opposition, cemented his antipathy to the new
regime on Monday by agreeing to stand against Ms Bishop for the deputy's spot a role Ms Bishop has held since 2007.
As Mr Abbott's deputy, Ms Bishop was preparing to vote for Mr Abbott in Monday's
snap ballot, but switched to Mr Turnbull when she was effectively sacked by Mr
Abbott, who summarily declared both leadership positions vacant just after 6pm o
n Monday.
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189 comments
Better viewing than any soap opera
Commenter
Wal
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 6:06PM
What with them tearing at each other's throats and already leaking,
the Children's Arm of the party having a punch up, Malcolm being abused by staff
with obscenities and falling outs with their propaganda arm the shock jocks, th
is omelette sure is going to take some unscrambling!
And they're running Australia!
Commenter
rext
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 6:28PM
Malcolm's first big mistake, Hockey is simply incompetent.
Commenter
Kent
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 6:56PM
Yes. I agree. Perhaps any TV show / play / film linked to the LNP no
w needs a name?
I'd offer 'The Killing Season', or 'Kill Bill', but it seems they've
already been made into a TV show and a movie.
What about highlighting them with a song?
Nah! Stealer's Wheel already did that with 'Stuck in the middle with
you'.
What about "Frenemy' (surely that is applicable to the LNP)?
I know, I know, I know! This one has already been made into a movie

too - but it's such a classic - and it is pertinent to what is happening in poli
tics now:
"The Emperor's New Groove"
(Brief synopsis: Emperor Kuzco is turned into a llama by his ex-admi
nistrator Yzma, and must now regain his throne with the help of Pacha, the gentl
e llama herder)
Failing that, the old faithful, "The Muppet's Show" would do quite n
icely....
Commenter
Jump
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 7:18PM
Kent, I'm no Hockey fan either, but it might be good politics. Just
stick him somewhere childproof where he can't break things.
Commenter
EndYardLimits
Location
Belmore, NSW
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 7:35PM
Recall in the morning prior to the 2014 Coalition budget when Malcol
m Turnbull hit the media tropes aplenty claiming that Hockey could sell old sand
shoes and bottle tops.... Turnbull was wrong.
Flat out wrong. Joe Hockey's legacy collapsed by that evening and no
thing now can save JH's alliance with the Abbott Government and its collective o
f media boosters whose own salacious hubris claimed the 2014 budget as victory.
I have no generosity in excusing Joe Hockey's role in poisoning the
political dialogue. He played a preeminent role in excoriating working Australia
ns while being exposed as lazy, arrogant and with a sense of privilege. The end
of him was orchestrate by only himself.
Commenter
dipaha
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 7:47PM
Mr Hockey has been a good and honest Treasurer. However it is clear
that many dont like it when the treasurer doesn't hand out unaffordable TV cash
payments to bribe those in the electorate who only think of "what do I get" !
Commenter
Pistol Pete
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 9:07PM
Yeah laugh it up you lot, I'm looking forward to the next episode of
the killing season starring Bill and Tanya.
Commenter
adrian
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 9:12PM
Is this what our politicians have become these days? ...backstabbing
liars ?

Commenter
Barb
Date and time
September 18, 2015, 9:40PM
And now for the next soapie, the gNats.
Reported in Rups rags the title is about to be contested between Tru
ss and Beetroot.
Also reporting Nash might get a promotion- mmmm chocolates, mmmmm.
Commenter
A country gal
Date and time
September 19, 2015, 12:52AM
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