Fight is not over for Australia’s embattled prime minister
Malcolm Turnbull narrowly survived a leadership vote on Tuesday, but his main rival, Peter Dutton, is not ready to give up and is preparing to mount another challenge
Canberra — Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was battling for his job on Wednesday after narrowly surviving a leadership vote, as his chief rival prepared to mount another challenge. While Turnbull called for unity after defeating home affairs minister Peter Dutton in the ballot of Liberal Party MPs on Tuesday, more fractures emerged within the government. A raft of ministers who voted to oust the prime minister offered to resign, while Dutton took to the airwaves, saying he was the best hope for reversing the government’s slumping poll ratings and winning elections due by May. The potential for another change of leadership adds more uncertainty for businesses in a nation that has endured repeated policy missteps and flip-flops over the past decade. Since 2007, Australia has switched prime ministers five times, and none has lasted a full term. Turnbull, who himself came to power in 2015 in a party coup before winning the 2016 election with a razor-thin majority, has struggl...
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