7 things you should know about our new PM, Malcolm Turnbull
As of Monday night, Australia has its 29th prime minister: Malcolm Turnbull. Here are seven things you should know about the new PM.
1. He led the Liberal party once before as opposition leader from September 2008 to December 2009. He was ousted by Tony Abbott.
2. Turnbull’s mother abandoned the family when Turnbull was nine, leaving his hotel broker father, Bruce, to raise a young Malcolm. He told GQ: “Looking back, she treated him terribly. We were left with nowhere to live, she took all the furniture and it was pretty bad. Bruce never ever said a bad word about it to me. Dad was incredible. He was absolutely determined I would have a strong relationship with my mother.”
3. Malcolm is a Republican having spent seven years as Chairman of the Australian Republican Movement. He was in charge during the failed 1999 referendum campaign for the nation to become a republic.
4. Before entering politics in 2004, Turnbull worked as a journalist, a lawyer, a barrister, an investment banker and a venture capitalist.
5. He is married to Lucy Turnbull who was Lord Mayor of Sydney from 2003 to 2004. They have two children Alex and Daisy.
6. Turnbull is considered much more moderate in his beliefs than the conservative wing of the party. He has said he supports same-sex marriage and stronger climate change policy.
7. He is the member for Wentworth in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
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