by David Crowe
26David Crowe, ‘Same-sex marriage: How plebiscite took on life of its own’, The Australian, 13 August 2015.
27David Crowe, ‘Tony Abbott rewrites history on cabinet decisions’, The Australian, 21 August 2015.
28Mitch Fifield, interview with Lyndal Curtis, AM, ABC Radio, 28 November 2009.
29Pamela Williams, ‘Taking down Tony Abbott: How Malcolm Turnbull staged a coup’, The Australian, 20 October 2015.
2. False Starts
1Nick Bryant, ‘Australia’s coup culture’, BBC News, 20 March 2013.
2Joe Hockey, interview with the author, 5 February 2019.
3Tony Abbott, interview with the author, 28 February 2019.
4James Massola, ‘Conservative MPs rebuke Malcolm Turnbull for Peter Dutton’s axing from national security committee’, Sydney Morning Herald, 16 November 2015.
5Phillip Hudson, ‘Malcolm Turnbull soars as better PM’, The Australian, 22 September 2015.
6Bill Shorten, interview with the author, 16 January 2019.
7Commonwealth Treasury, ‘Analysis of tax mix switch’, released February 2016.
8Peter Martin, ‘Labor says no to a higher GST, yes to lower company tax’, The Age, 22 September 2015.
9Tom McIlroy, ‘James Ashby and Mal Brough in clear as AFP drops investigation’, Sydney Morning Herald, 4 October 2016.
10Sarah Martin, ‘Malcolm Turnbull’s early warning to Jamie Briggs to resign’, The Australian, 5 January 2016.
11Malcolm Turnbull, interview with Barrie Cassidy, Insiders, ABC TV, 15 November 2015.
12Tony Abbott, ‘The religion of Islam must reform’, Daily Telegraph, 9 December 2015.
13Rosie Lewis, ‘Josh Frydenberg blames “problem within Islam” for terror attacks’, The Australian, 29 November 2015.
14Bill Shorten and Michelle Rowland, ‘Open letter to the Islamic community’, 3 October 2014.
15David Crowe, ‘Turnbull warned on stifling Islam debate,’ The Australian, 21 December 2015.
16Bill Shorten, interview with the author, 16 January 2019.
17David Crowe, ‘Negative gearing changes rethink after Tony Abbott warning’, The Australian, 2 March 2016.
18Greg Sheridan, ‘Malcolm Turnbull pushed back Tony Abbott submarine dates’, The Australian, 2 March 2016.
19Malcolm Turnbull, Doorstop, Penrith, 30 March 2016. David Crowe, ‘PM’s state income tax gambit’, The Australian, 31 March 2016.
20Michael Koziol, ‘“It is withdrawn”: Premiers reject Malcolm Turnbull’s push to allow states to levy income tax’, Sydney Morning Herald, 1 April 2016.
21Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert and Heath Aston, ‘Senate votes down call for Royal Commission into financial sector misconduct’, The Age, 24 June 2015.
22Malcolm Turnbull, ‘Address to Westpac 199th Anniversary, Sydney’, 6 April 2016.
23Bill Shorten, Chris Bowen, press conference, Melbourne, 8 April 2016.
24Bill Shorten, interview with the author, 16 January 2019.
3. The Promise of Stability
1Scott Ryan to Malcolm Turnbull, memo, 26 January 2016. Document obtained by the author.
2Leigh Sales and Sabra Lane, ‘Election set for July 2 as ABCC bill rejected by Senate’, 7.30, ABC TV, 18 April 2016.
3Michael Kouparitsas, Dinar Prihardini and Alexander Beames, ‘Analysis of the long term effects of a company tax cut’, Treasury Working Paper, May 2016.
4Michelle Grattan, ‘“Mr Harbourside Mansion” — Credlin gives Turnbull a moniker with cut-through’, The Conversation, 13 May 2016.
5Jane Norman, ‘Labor pledges budget balance despite $16.4 billion deeper deficit’, ABC News, 26 June 2016.
6Andrew Probyn, ‘Private Medicare’, West Australian, 9 February 2016; Joanna Heath, ‘Medical payments to go private’, Australian Financial Review, 8 August 2014.
7David Crowe and Sean Parnell, ‘AMA head calls out Shorten’s Medicare scare’, The Australian, 22 June 2016.
8The law was changed two years later to make it illegal to impersonate a federal agency: Rachel Baxendale, ‘ALP help to outlaw Mediscare messages,’ The Australian, 19 June 2018.
9Andrew Robb, Carol Cashman, Chris Ellison and Barry O’Farrell, ‘Review of the 2016 federal election’, March 2017. Document obtained by the author.
10David Crowe, ‘Volunteer army blasts out Lib campaigners’, The Australian, 4 July 2016.
11‘Malcolm Turnbull slammed for his “pathetic” post-election speech’, News. com.au, 3 July 2016.
12David Crowe, ‘Malcolm Turnbull takes responsibility’, The Australian, 6 July 2016.
4. Abbott Aggrieved
1Sarah Martin, ‘Liberals meet up . . . but the unhappy were not there’, The Australian, 19 July 2016.
2Joe Kelly, ‘Bill Shorten concedes defeat’, The Australian, 10 July 2016.
3Tony Abbott, ‘Address to Master Builders of Victoria’, 26 August 2016.
4David Crowe, ‘David Leyonhjelm’s offer: Softer gun laws for his ABCC vote’, The Australian, 18 October 2016.
5Latika Bourke, ‘Labor Senator Sam Dastyari had Chinese interests foot the bill’, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 August 2016.
6Tony Abbott, interview with the author, 28 February 2019.
7John Howard, interview with the author, 30 May 2019.
8Tony Abbott, interview, Sky News, 27 November 2016.
9Graeme Starr, ‘On the political side’, in JR Nethercote (ed.), Menzies: The Shaping of Modern Australia, Connor Court Publishing, 2016, p. 59. The population of Australia was 8.2 million in 1950, suggesting the original Menzies target amounted to about 1.2 per cent of the population. A proportional target in 2016 would have been 288,000 members.
10David Crowe, ‘Liberal party machine needs an influx and oiling’, The Australian, 23 June 2017.
11Troy Bramston, ‘Members flee despite Shorten’s target’, The Australian, 17April 2018. Tom Bramble and Rick Kuhn, Australian National University paper.
12Geoff Gilfillan and Chris McGann, ‘Trends in union membership in Australia’, Parliamentary Library research paper, 15 October 2018.
13Tony Abbott, ‘Address to the Young Liberal federal convention’, 29 January 2017.
14Simon Benson, ‘Abbott to PM: Scrap RET or face fury’, The Australian, 30 January 2017.
15Andrew Bolt, ‘Abbott attacks Turnbull team as “mugs”’, Herald Sun, 30 January 2017.
16Pamela Williams, ‘The End’, The Monthly, February 2019.
17Tony Abbott, interview with the author, 28 February 2019.
18Tony Abbott, ‘Remarks at the launch of Making Australia Right’, 23 February 2017.
19Mathias Cormann, interview, Sky News, 24 February 2017.
20David Crowe, ‘Coalition loses more ground amid tensions between PM and Tony Abbott’, The Australian, 26 February 2017.
21Greg Sheridan, ‘Tony Abbott steps in to condemn China extradition treaty’, The Australian, 28 March 2017.
22Niki Savva, ‘Abbott making enemies as sands shift’, The Australian, 30 March 2017.
23Dennis Shanahan, ‘PM&C warned against deal with Beijing’, The Australian, 1 April 2017. Some in the government were left to marvel at Abbott’s access to papers from his time in the Prime Minister’s office. Information was a weapon in the fight over Abbott’s legacy.
24Andrew Bolt, ‘Abbott calls out “liar” as Bishop smears’, Herald Sun, 1 April 2017.
25Ari Sharp, ‘Turnbull blasts Abbott’s “bullshit” climate change stance’, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 December 2009.
26Mark Di Stefano, ‘Here’s the audio of Peta Credlin admitting the last seven years of politics is based on total crap’, BuzzFeed, 15 February 2017.
27Katharine Murphy, ‘Josh Frydenberg backtracks on emissions trading comments’, Guardian Australia, 7 December 2016.
28David Crowe, ‘Policy divide came with real bitterness’, The Australian, 14 June 2017.
29David Crowe, ‘Tony Abbott says greenhouse gas emissions cut only an aspiration’, The A
ustralian, 14 June 2017.
30Tony Abbott, transcript of joint press conference, Parliament House, 11 August 2015.
31David Crowe, ‘Tony Abbott contradicts himself on energy policy’, The Australian, 19 June 2017.
32‘Malcolm Turnbull: Stop this wrecking and start building’, Herald Sun, 30 June 2017.
33Annika Smethurst, ‘Malcolm Turnbull: “I’ll leave Parliament if I lose prime ministership”’, Sunday Herald Sun, 2 July 2017.
5. The Gulf on Marriage Equality
1Andrew Bolt, ‘The Pyne tape: Listen here’, Herald Sun, 26 June 2017.
2Joe Spagnolo, ‘Yes, I will do it’, Sunday Times, 9 July 2017.
3Letter to Malcolm Turnbull from Warren Entsch, Trevor Evans, Dean Smith, Tim Wilson and Trent Zimmerman, 13 July 2017, obtained by the author.
4Michael McKenna, ‘Lib may cross floor for gay vows vote’, The Australian, 31 July 2017.
5Latika Bourke, ‘LNP establishment hits out at gay MP Trevor Evans over same-sex marriage push’, Brisbane Times, 1 August 2017.
6Malcolm Farr, ‘PM says back benchers have right to cross the floor as increasing number of his MPs call for parliamentary vote’, News.com.au, 31 July 2017.
7Sharri Markson, ‘Turnbull faces spill over gay marriage’, Daily Telegraph, 1 August 2017.
8David Crowe, ‘Turnbull widens lead as vote falls’, The Australian, 7 August 2017.
9Michael Koziol, ‘The young staffer who saved the postal survey’, Sydney Morning Herald, 17 November 2017.
10Malcolm Turnbull, speech at the ‘Liberals and Nationals for Yes’ campaign launch, Sydney, 10 September 2017.
11Andrew Bragg, interview with the author, 23 February 2019.
12Simon Benson, ‘Conservative Libs to offer new gay marriage bill’, The Australian, 12 November 2017.
13Hansard, Senate, 29 November 2017. The No voters were Eric Abetz, Slade Brockman, Matt Canavan, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Lucy Gichuhi, Barry O’Sullivan and John ‘Wacka’ Williams from the Coalition; Chris Ketter and Helen Polley from Labor; and Fraser Anning, Brian Burston and Cory Bernardi from the crossbench. Pauline Hanson abstained.
6. National Scandal
1Interview with Vikki Campion and Barnaby Joyce, Sunday Night, Seven Network, broadcast 4 June 2018.
2Malcolm Farr, ‘How Vikki Campion came to work for Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce’, News.com.au, 8 February 2018.
3Nicole Byers, ‘Natalie Joyce breaks her silence’, Australian Women’s Weekly, July 2018.
4Amy Remeikis, ‘“I’ve already won”: Rod Culleton declares’, Sydney Morning Herald, 21 November 2016.
5Rosie Lewis, ‘New Zealand government releases timeline of inquiries about Barnaby Joyce’, The Australian, 18 August 2017.
6David Crowe, ‘Caught between a rock and a hard place, government had to tough it out’, The Australian, 19 August 2017.
7Tony Wright, ‘His Honour Paul Murray finds Malcolm Roberts is not an alien’, The Age, 28 July 2017.
8Barnaby Joyce, Weatherboard and Iron, New Holland Publishers, 2018, p. 184.
9Sharri Markson, ‘Barnaby Joyce battles vicious innuendo’, Daily Telegraph, 20 October 2017.
10Bill Shorten, interview with the author, 16 January 2019.
11Rachel Baxendale, ‘George Christensen apologises for lying over threats to quit the LNP’, The Australian, 3 December 2017. Christensen’s false denials were made to Baxendale as well as Samantha Maiden of Sky News.
12Andrew Clennell, ‘Don’t play with the big boys’, The Australian, 9 April 2018.
13Andrew Bolt, ‘George Christensen wimps it’, Herald Sun, 3 December 2017.
14‘Dear Jake.’ Tweet by Sharri Markson, 4 March 2018.
15Barnaby Joyce, interview with Leigh Sales, 7.30, ABC TV, 7 February 2018.
16Mark Kenny, ‘A grey area: Barnaby Joyce raises doubts over whether he’s the biological father of Vikki Campion’s baby’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 March 2018.
17Malcolm Turnbull, remarks at Mia Freedman book launch, 26 May 2017.
18James Massola, ‘“We’ve been forced out”: Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion’s first interview’, Sydney Morning Herald, 21 February 2018.
19Jacob Greber, ‘Barnaby Joyce expected to quit as National party leader’, Australian Financial Review, 23 February 2018.
20Barnaby Joyce, Weatherboard and Iron, New Holland Publishers, 2018, p185.
21Catherine Marriott, interview with Leigh Sales, 7.30, ABC TV, 18 September 2018, and statements from Barnaby Joyce and NSW Nationals in response.
22Karen Middleton, ‘Sexual harassment in politics’, Saturday Paper, 15 October 2016.
23Alexandra Smith, ‘ABC journalist releases explosive statement about Luke Foley’, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 November 2018.
24Barnaby Joyce, comments to the author, 12 February 2019. Joyce’s remarks about ‘the numbers’ were first reported by Laura Jayes on Sky News on 5 March 2019. Joyce later said he made the remark knowing at least one of the ministers present would relay it to Turnbull. He meant the remark to reflect on the way Turnbull needed Joyce at his side as someone who could not aspire to the prime ministership but could help fend off those who did. Joyce felt vindicated by events: ‘I was right: after I had gone he did not last six months.’
7. Climate Crisis
1Jane Cadzow, ‘Eric Abetz: Why dumping me was a big mistake’, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 March 2016.
2‘Kevin Andrews steps down as defence minister’, The Guardian, 20 September 2015.
3Greg Brown and Joe Kelly, ‘Backbench test for Turnbull on energy policy’, The Australian, 3 April 2018.
4David Crowe, ‘Monash Forum trick leaves conservatives divided’, The Age, 5 April 2018.
5Malcolm Turnbull, radio interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB, 9 April 2018.
6Amanda Meade, ‘Sky’s the limit when it comes to rocketing audience numbers’, The Guardian, 20 July 2018.
7Michael Lallo, ‘Alan Jones is not as powerful as politicians think’, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 October 2018.
8Miranda Devine, ‘Tony Abbott lovers call me the Wicked Witch of the Left’, Daily Telegraph, 12 April 2016.
9John Howard, interview with Leigh Sales, 7.30, ABC TV, 5 April 2018.
10Peter Dutton, interview with Ray Hadley, 2GB, 5 April 2018.
11Ben Smee, ‘Peter Dutton: Some leaders fall into the trap of abandoning principles’, Guardian Australia, 7 April 2018.
12Michael McKenna, ‘Stick to Turnbull, says MP who saved government’, The Australian, 4 April 2018.
13David Crowe, ‘Voters warn Liberal MPs to keep Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister’, The Age, 6 April 2018.
14Simon Benson, ‘Newspoll: Malcolm Turnbull loses 30 in a row’, The Australian, 9 April 2018.
15David Crowe, ‘Voters warn Liberal MPs to keep Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister’, The Age, 6 April 2018.
16Stephen Dziedzic and Matthew Doran, ‘Barnaby Joyce calls on Malcolm Turnbull to improve by Christmas or consider giving up the leadership’, ABC News, 9 April 2018.
17Andrew Clennell, ‘Peter Dutton’s secret plan to cut back on migrants’, The Australian, 10 April 2018.
18Amy Remeikis, ‘It is completely untrue: Turnbull hoses down reports’, Guardian Australia, 10 April 2018.
19Amy Remeikis, ‘Peter Dutton contradicts Turnbull on immigration’, Guardian Australia, 11 April 2018.
20Simon Benson, ‘Dutton’s vetting drive slashes 20,000 from migrant intake’, The Australian, 13 July 2018.
21Josh Frydenberg and Anthony Albanese, interview with Ben Fordham, The Today Show, Nine Network, 13 April 2018.
22Katharine Murphy, ‘Peta Credlin boasted about admonishing Josh Frydenberg. How is that OK?’, Guardian Australia, 17 April 2018.
23James Jeffrey, ‘Strewth: Sharing the joy’, The Australian, 27 June 2018.
24David Crowe, ‘Carbon tax: the two most loaded words in Australian politics’, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 June 2018.
25David Crowe, ‘
The short answer is yes: Abbott’s vow to cross the floor over government’s energy policy’, Sydney Morning Herald, 26 June 2018.
26Tony Abbott, interview with the author, 28 February 2019.
27‘Liberal swing predicted for Longman and Braddon by-elections’, Sky News, 3 June 2018.
28Malcolm Turnbull, transcript of doorstop interview in Devonport, Tasmania, 26 July 2018.
29Malcolm Turnbull, transcript of press conference, Sydney, 29 July 2018.
30The average swing against a government at a by-election was 3.8 per cent. This figure can be found in Stephen Barber, ‘House of Representatives by-elections 1901–2017’, Parliamentary Library, 5 March 2018.
8. Dutton Rising
1‘Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton live on Hack’, Triple J, 25 July 2018.
2Peter Dutton, interview with the author, 23 January 2019.
3Peter Dutton, interview with Ray Hadley, 2GB, 2 August 2018.
4Jane Cadzow, ‘Peter Dutton: I’m just not impacted by that hatred’, Sydney Morning Herald, 23 May 2017.
5David Crowe, ‘Pressure mounts on Turnbull amid a split on company tax cuts’, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 July 2018.
6David Crowe, Nicole Hasham and Peter Hannam, ‘Energy deal in limbo as states step up their demands’, The Age, 8 August 2018.
7David Crowe, ‘Deadline warning as ministers split on energy deal’, Sydney Morning Herald, 9 August 2018.
8David Crowe, ‘A showdown is looming between Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull’, The Age, 18 August 2018.
9Tony Abbott, interview with Leigh Sales, 7.30, ABC TV, 13 August 2018.
10The nine MPs against the policy in the House of Representatives were joined by other Liberals and Nationals in the Senate.
11Andrew Hornery, ‘Murdoch may have enormous power but even he can’t penetrate Canberra’s fog’, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 2018.
12Joe Aston, ‘Lachlan Murdoch and Paul Whittaker at Tony Abbott wake’, Australian Financial Review, 23 November 2015.
13Pamela Williams, ‘The End’, The Monthly, February 2019.
14Simon Benson, ‘Newspoll: Turnbull’s popularity plunges in wake of Super Saturday’, The Australian, 12 August 2018.
15Liberal Party analysis presented to ministers and obtained by the author.
16Liberal Party polling shown to the author.