Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Why is the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull no longer the Prime Minister of Australia?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Liberal Party party room had a meeting and elected the member for Cook as the leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party and the member for Kooyong as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallacher, a supplementary question.

Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday morning the Treasurer and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, the Hon. Josh Frydenberg, refused on four occasions to say why the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull was sacked. Why was the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull sacked?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under our Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, the Prime Minister is elected by the House of Representatives. And, of course, given the Liberal National Party won the last election, and that we are part of a strong coalition, the leader of the Liberal Party holds the office of Prime Minister, and the leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party is the Hon. Scott Morrison, the member for Cook.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallacher, a final supplementary question?

Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When asked why Australia needed a new Prime Minister, the Leader of the House said: 'The question you ask is a good one. It is yet to be answered by those people who felt there needed to be a change to the leadership.' As one of those responsible for sacking the former Prime Minister, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, will the minister tell Australians why they have a new Prime Minister?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable senator for that question, but I think that everyone who has followed events in Australian politics over the last few weeks would have seen me explain the reasons for my judgements before and after the relevant party room meeting and I have said all that I have to say on that matter.