Tony Abbott 'determined to do better' after spill motion defeated – politics live

More Bowers genius. We’ve been chuckling periodically in our office this morning about the drive-by the Labor leadership team earlier this morning. You remember? Bill Shorten, Tanya Plibersek, Penny Wong and Stephen Conroy sauntered past the spill debate with their coffees. A few in this crowd have some king-making experience.

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We couldn’t resist a re-enactment.

Sharp eyes will notice two people are making their debut here: Brick Bill and Brick Tanya.

For clarity Brick Bill is the man without a face. Brick Tanya is the lady with the plaits.

Thank you, I am, of course interested in this reminder. Abbott asking Julia Gillard how she could continue as prime minister when one third of the colleagues had no confidence in her; Gillard giving Abbott full marks for audacity.

Question time. Stay tuned.

An alternate broadcast from an imaginary bunker. With wine. Thanks to Huw Parkinson.

Here’s the bunker broadcast. Shocker, in my opinion. But you might have a different view? I will try to get to the thread after question time.

Nice column on the New Daily post kill spill from former Rudd and Gillard adviser Sean Kelly.

Malcolm Turnbull, the man who would be king, now faces an excruciating choice. He wants to be prime minister – has done for decades. Right now there is momentum going his way. It must be devilishly tempting to ride it to power. If he waits too long there is also a chance that another contender, perhaps more palatable to the right of his party, emerges. Now that Abbott is obviously weak, Julie Bishop or Scott Morrison might be persuaded to run. But Turnbull knows too that forcing matters may cost him votes, reminding his colleagues of the impulsive Malcolm of old.

It’s not a clear-cut choice.

I think this analysis is broadly right – the run against Abbott today needs to be viewed in the context that there are unhappy people around who could not, if push came to shove, bring themselves to vote for Malcolm Turnbull because he’s too progressive. They might shift for Julie Bishop or Scott Morrison. But those candidates have “shortcomings” too. Nothing simple. Nothing clear-cut.

Memo 164 to the person I inisist on treating like my office boy.

The revolt fizzed and the prime minister survived. The wonderful Fiona Katauskas sketches out the Liberal party’s morning of drama in this gallery.

Take a look.

Some quick outtakes from commentators who are touchstones for Team Abbott.

Dennis Shanahan, the Australian: Tony Abbott has bought some time but that’s all. While the leadership spill motion was defeated by 61 to 39 votes the size of the support for the motion is an almost fatal blow for the prime minister. It is also an almost fatal blow for the Liberal party.

Andrew Bolt, Herald Sun: Tony Abbott survives the spill motion: 61 to 39. He won more votes than he feared but fewer than he’d like. All that damage caused by Malcolm Turnbull and others – for this? You would assume Abbott has been given a last chance of some months.

Pictures, telling stories.

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I know it’s not lunchtime yet but there’s a moment here which I’ll take to post a summary. Because who knows when the next moment comes?

The morning thus far, in two points:

1. Tony Abbott is still standing as the Liberal leader, but the party room delivered a profound body blow, even though he was challenged by no one. Abbott supporter Eric Abetz acknowledged there had been a degree of chastisement when 39 MPs don’t want you to be the leader.
2. The prime minister told the colleagues to give him time to turn the listing ship around. Whether they accept that plea or not depends on how restless the anti-Abbott forces are when they are forced to operate in daylight. Over to you Malcolm, Scott, Julie and others. It also depends on whether or not Abbott delivers on his undertakings to change.
   

Give me six months.

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