(UTV|COLOMBO) – UPDATE: Scott Morrison has been sworn-in as Australia’s 30th Prime Minister.
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(UTV|COLOMBO) – Scott Morrison has been chosen by the Liberal Party room as Australia’s 30th Prime Minister.
Morrison defeated Peter Dutton 45 votes to 40 in the secret ballot. Leadership candidate Julie Bishop was knocked out in the first round.
The decision capped off a week of turmoil in Canberra that began after Dutton declared his intention to force Malcolm Turnbull from the Prime Ministerial position, saying the Party needed to make a change if it was to win the forthcoming Federal Election, due before 18 May next year.
Turnbull, who became Prime Minister in 2015 following a spill against Tony Abbott, stood aside on Friday (24) after receiving a petition from a majority of Liberal Parliamentarians demanding a ballot to select a new leader. He has indicated he will resign from Parliament, potentially forcing a by election in his seat of Wentworth.
Australia has now changed its Prime Minister 6 times since the 2007 election.
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