Liberal Party MP Malcolm Turnbull has become Australia’s fourth prime minister in 27 months.
Turnbull, who requested a leadership ballot after months of openly criticising now former prime minister, Tony Abbott, won the vote 54–44.
In a press conference before the ballot, Turnbull said that Abbott “has not been capable of providing economic leadership”.
In his final speech as the prime minister, Abbott said: “I want our government and our country to succeed. I always have and I always will.”
“This is not an easy day for many people in this building. Leadership changes are never easy for our country … My pledge today is to make this change as easy as I can.”
Turnbull’s leadership challenge was the third attempt during Abbott’s term as prime minister. While announcing the imminent spill motion, Abbott indicted he was disappointed by the obvious disunity in the party.
“The prime ministership is not a prize or a plaything to be demanded. It should be something which is earned by a vote of the Australian people.
I firmly believe that our party is better than this, that our government is better than this and, by God, that our country is so much better than this,” said Abbott.