Hockey expected to go for Libs top job

Joe Hockey could this week become the Liberal Party's third leader in two years amid
expectations he will contest a possible ballot on Tuesday.
Support for the party's current leader, the embattled Malcolm Turnbull, continues to
crumble while he has accused "hard right" elements within Liberal ranks of waging a
climate change war that could destroy the party.
The opposition leader launched a tirade during an interview on Sunday morning,
attacking Mr Hockey, along with Liberal Senate leader Nick Minchin and Tony Abbott,
who has declared he will contest the leadership.
However, it is possible Mr Abbott will pull out of the race if a challenge by Mr
Hockey is confirmed.
The Liberal partyroom on Tuesday will vote on a motion for a leadership spill. If,
as expected, that motion is successful, Mr Hockey is believed to have the numbers to
defeat Mr Turnbull.
Mr Hockey, who previously said he would not challenge Mr Turnbull and has solidly
backed his position on the ETS deal, consulted former prime minister John Howard
about the move on Saturday.
He spent more than three hours at his Sydney home the following day discussing the
likely coup with Peter Dutton, who is expected to put his hand up for the deputy
leader's role occupied by Julie Bishop.
Mr Dutton and Mr Hockey left his home just after 6.30pm (AEDT), but they would not
confirm if a challenge was on, as some media had reported.
"If I've got something to say to my leader I will say it to him directly and that is
my form," Mr Hockey told reporters.
"I'm not telegraphing anything through other people. When I talk to people about
their job I say it to them direct."
Despite support for Mr Turnbull having clearly evaporated in recent days, the
opposition leader remained defiant on Sunday, saying he was confident of winning
Tuesday's ballot.
He also maintained he had Mr Hockey's support.
"Joe Hockey has told me as recently as last night that I have his complete support,"
Mr Turnbull said.
More than a dozen MPs and senators - including Mr Abbott and Senator Minchin - have
resigned from the opposition front bench or key party roles in protest at Mr
Turnbull's climate change policy.
The Senate will resume debate on more than 200 amendments to the legislation on
Monday, but doubt remains over whether a vote will take place with Liberal senators
maintaining it should be delayed until after Copenhagen.
Mr Turnbull said the strategy adopted by Senator Minchin and Mr Abbott would be
"catastrophic" and warned Mr Hockey against abandoning the deal with the government.
"The Minchinites do not want to delay consideration of the legislation, they do not
believe that climate changes is real, they do not believe that humans are causing
it, and they do want to do anything about it," he said.
"If Joe was the cuddly, friendly face of the Liberal Party but spouting Nick
Minchin's lines, that would destroy him and destroy the party."
Senator Minchin said he was not trying to destroy the party and that his push to
delay the legislation was about allowing the Senate to have the time to consider it
properly.
"I've given my working life to this party," he said.
"I think most people would accept that I'm not about wrecking the party.
"It's about what's the right thing to do for Australia and in my view the right
thing to do for Australia is not to rush this legislation through the parliament
this week."
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called on Mr Hockey - widely seen a moderate who could
unify the fractured Liberals - not to renege on the deal to pass the legislation if
he won the leadership ballot.
He also ruled out an early election: "I've been elected to serve a full term. That
is my intention".
If the Senate was to reject the legislation a second time it could potentially set
up a trigger for a double dissolution election.