After winning a three-way battle for the leadership of the Liberal party, Treasurer Scott Morrison is to take the vow as Australia’s new prime minister on Friday replacing Malcolm Turnbull.
Scott Morrison was sworn in as prime minister on Friday by the governor general, the Queen’s representative in Australia – General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
Morrison, who will be Australia’s sixth prime minister in less than 10 years, emerged victorious from a three-way race with former home affairs minister Peter Dutton and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Bishop was eliminated in the first round, and Morrison beat Dutton in a subsequent run-off, 45 votes to 40, suggesting the party is still deeply divided.
The main challenger to Turnbull, former home affairs minister and factional conservative Peter Dutton, was defeated by Morrison 45 votes to 40 in a closed door leadership ballot shortly after midday local time, the party’s whip Nola Marino announced.
“There was a determined insurgency from a number of people both in the party room and backed by voices, powerful voices, in the media,” Turnbull said on Friday after the news of Morrison’s ascension was known.
After winning the election, Morrison promised to “bring the Parliament back together.” “We’re an optimistic, we are a passionate, and we are an ambitious people, full of aspiration for ourselves, our families, and for our great nation,” he told reporters.
“Our job … is to ensure that we not only bring our party back together, which has been bruised and battered this week, but that will enable us to ensure we bring the parliament back together,” the new Prime Minister said.
> Shatabdi Sarker Poushi
