New Australian prime minister: Government strong despite divisions

CANBERRA, Australia – Australia’s prime minister Malcolm Turnbull today assured the country that his government remained strong despite an internal party revolt that made him the nation’s fourth leader in little more than two years and will leave deep divisions in his administration’s ranks.

Turnbull was sworn in today as Australia’s 29th prime minister after a surprise ballot of his conservative Liberal Party colleagues voted 54-to-44 on Monday night to replace Prime Minister Tony Abbott only two years after he was elected. Turnbull’s elevation has cemented a culture of disposable leaders as the new norm in Australian politics since the 11-year reign of the Prime Minister John Howard ended in 2007.

“There’s been a change of prime minister, but we are a very, very strong government, a very strong country with a great potential and we will realize that potential working very hard together,” Turnbull said today.

“This is a turn of events I did not expect, I have to tell you, but it’s one that I’m privileged to undertake and one that I’m certainly up to,” he added.

Turnbull, a 60-year-old former journalist, lawyer and merchant banker known for his moderate views, was party leader for two years before he was ousted in 2009 by Abbott by a single vote in a similar leadership ballot.

Abbott, a 57-year-old former Roman Catholic seminarian, has been described as the most socially conservative Australian prime minister in decades, while Turnbull is considered not conservative enough by the right wing of the party.

Turnbull’s return to the helm will likely lead to a major cabinet reshuffle, with Treasurer Joe Hockey and Defense Minister Kevin Andrews among the ministers who publicly supported Abbott.

Andrews, a senior figure in the party’s right wing, argued today that he should retain his defense portfolio.

Andrews challenged Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, a Turnbull supporter, for the Liberal Party’s deputy leadership on Monday night, but was defeated by a vote of 70 to 30.

Abbott has yet to make public whether he intends to quit or stay on in politics.

Unlike Abbott, Turnbull has supported Australia making polluters pay for their carbon gas emissions to reduce the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and legalizing gay marriage.

But Bishop said the government’s policies would not change without consultation with Liberal Party lawmakers.

“The policies remain until they’re changed, and they’re only changed through a process of discussion and consultation with the party room,” she said.

She said the party had moved against Abbott because he had not made good on a promise made in February to improve the government’s standing in opinion polls within six months.