SOURCE: The Sydney Morning Herald
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West Australian Liberal MP Luke Simpkins has emailed his colleagues, announcing he will move a spill motion against the Prime Minister.
It will be seconded by Don Randall.
In an email to his colleagues, Mr Simpkins said "the knighthood issue was for many the final proof of a disconnection with the people ...
"I have therefore submitted to the Chief Government Whip (Philip Ruddock) a motion to spill the leadership position of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party..."
Chief Government Whip Philip Ruddock has confirmed he has received the notice of motion: "That the Liberal Party Room resolve, via secret ballot, that the senior positions of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal Party be declared vacant".
He says the Prime Minister has indicated this motion will be listed for discussion at the Liberal Party Meeting on Tuesday.
► Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has raised the stakes even higher, telling Fairfax Media the Nationals may walk away from the Coalition in the wake of the upcoming spill. "If all of sudden a different person is walking down the aisle towards us, don't necessarily think the wedding is still on," he said.
► Tasmanian Liberal Senator David Bushby says he still supports Mr Abbot: "I believe that Tony Abbott is the best person to lead the nation to recovery from the chaos and economic wreckage left by Labor," he said.
► A spokeswoman for Senator Richard Colbeck said he also backed Mr Abbott and Bass MP Andrew Nikolic has told his West Australian colleague Luke Simpkins that his spill motion against Prime Minister Tony Abbott is "disappointing and divisive".
► Lyne MP David Gillespie has backed his party's agreement to support the leadership of Prime MInister Tony Abbott.
► Wright MP Scott Buchholz will support Prime Minister Tony Abbott in next Tuesday's expected leadership spill.
► Lindsay MP Fiona Scott has said she supports the Prime Minister on Sky News after West Australian MP Luke Simpkins confirmed he will call a leadership spill against Tony Abbott on Tuesday.
► Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon (ALP) said: "I pray for Tony every day but I called him dead man walking a week ago and I haven't changed my view. The Libs will dump him out of desperation but without changes to their unfair and poorly considered policies, changing jockeys won't help them"
► All bets are off regarding the future of the Coalition should the Liberal Party change leaders on Tuesday, member for Riverina Michael McCormack has declared. "People get thoroughly sick of this ... we are in a joint partnership and the joint partner is not playing ball."
► Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis says she was surprised to learn of a possible leadership challenge. “I was running from one issue to another and this came as a bolt out of the blue,” she said.“Having read the email, it stated it the issue has been put on the agenda to decide whether or not there should be a vote over the leadership. It is a precursor to an actual motion being moved. So it is not as dramatic as is being made out.”
► Wannon Liberal MP Dan Tehan said: "I will be voting against the spill motion on Tuesday. I have been out and about in the electorate all week and the feedback I have received is that people want a government that is united. We have to stop focusing on ourselves, work as a team and get on with governing. My number one priority is working and delivering for the people and communities of Wannon. The Prime Minister has my support."
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