What goes around comes around.
On 24/8/2018 Malcolm Turnbull quit as Prime Minister of Australia. He had survived leadership challenge from Peter Dutton on 21/8/2018. Peter Dutton challenged him again for Liberal Party leadership. Malcolm Turnbull lost. There was three way fight for leadership. Julie Bishop lost in the first round. Scott Morrison got 45 votes. Peter Dutton got 40 votes. Scott Morrison became Prime Minister.
Julie Bishop was deputy leader of Liberal Party and Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia. Josh Frydenberg defeated Greg Hunt and Steve Ciobo and became deputy leader.
Speaking after the ballot Malcolm Turnbull criticised his rivals and said he was happy their campaign was not rewarded with victory for Peter Dutton.
“There was a determined insurgency from a number of people both in the party room and backed by voices, powerful voices, in the media. It was described as madness by many, and I think it’s difficult to describe it in any other way. In the party room meeting today I was impressed by how many of my colleagues spoke or voted for loyalty above disloyalty. How the insurgents were not rewarded by electing Mr Dutton, for example, but instead my successor who I wish the very best. Australians will be just dumbstruck and so appalled by the conduct of the last week. You know, to imagine that a Government would be rocked by this sort of disloyalty and deliberate insurgency – deliberate destructive action, at a time when, you know, there are differences on policy but frankly all of them were able to be resolved with a little bit of good will. In so far as there has been chaos this week, it has been created by the wreckers. I have done everything I can to maintain the stability of Government and the stability of the party. But, of course, if people are determined to wreck, then they will continue to do so. The critical thing is with politics, it’s not about the politicians. That’s why this week has been so dispiriting, because it just appears to be vengeance and personal ambition. You know, factional feuding, whoever you describe it. It hasn’t had anything to do with 25 million Australians.”
It is strange for Malcolm Turnbull to talk about loyalty. In 2015 he was an insurgent against then leader of Liberal Party and Prime Minister Anthony John Abbot. That time Anthony John Abbot had appealed to party members not to vote against him. Liberal Party may end up like Labor Party. Malcolm Turnbull did not heed the appeal. This time he had a taste of his own medicine and it was bitter. He was a wrecker then.
Revolt against party leader and Prime Minister began in Labor Party. In 2015 majority of Labor Party members in House of Representatives voted against Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard became Prime Minister. Three years later it was payback time for Kevin Rudd. He replaced Julia Gillard as Prime Minister.
Enlightening…!