Barnaby Joyce's ultimatum to Malcolm Turnbull: Former deputy says PM must resign
Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has called on Malcolm Turnbull to resign if he can't turn his fortunes by the end of the year, after the Prime Minister lost his 30th consecutive Newspoll on Sunday.
The benchmark of 30 consecutive losses was used by Turnbull to roll former PM Tony Abbott back in 2015.
And it appears the bitterness of Turnbull’s handling of the Barnaby Joyce affair has not abated as Joyce, who promised no sniping as he resigned from the leaders of the Nationals, looks to give the PM a difficult time.
Joyce told Sky News on Monday night the party was watching and would expect the leader to stand down if polling didn’t improve.
“If you truly believe [the Newspoll] is exactly the sentiment of the people, then you also have an obligation not to drive your party, or the government, off a cliff,” he told Sky’s Peta Credlin, who had been chief advisor to Abott.
“Towards the end (of the year) near Christmas you'd have to start asking those around you what do they believe is the proper course of action from that point forward.
“Malcolm's not a fool, he'd know that himself.”
Joyce said he was staying the “bleeding obvious” that not everything in the party room was fine, but also firmly stated the Coalition was a “long long way” from a spill.
“We’re stating here the bleeding obvious. Nobody wants to actually go to a federal election which you know you’re going to lose,” Joyce said.
“You have an obligation to all around you that if you honestly believe that is the case, then you must do something about it and do the honourable thing and start grooming an alternative.
“Now we are a long, long way from that at the moment. But if I said ‘Oh well, no-one ever considers it, everything’s fine’, well that is also not telling the truth.
“The first thing you’ve got to be with the electorate is truthful.”
Credlin also offered her own harsh assessment on the PM over his ousting of her former boss.
“Malcolm Turnbull got the job he’s coveted all his life,” she told viewers.
“The loser has been the Liberal Party and its supporters, not to forget all those voters who believe they get to choose their leader.
“And the most of all, the ordinary Australian who just wants government to focus on them.”