Neil Mitchell quizzes Peter Dutton about his leadership aspirations
Federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton says there will be no Liberal leadership spill before the election, but every member of Parliament wants to be the Prime Minister.
Neil Mitchell quizzed Mr Dutton about his leadership aspirations in a wide-ranging interview which also covered China, Ukraine and the ADF in aged care.
Mr Dutton said the fact that five Liberal MPs crossed the floor to support amendments to the Religious Discrimination Act is just “a function of effectively a hung Parliament” and is not an embarrassment for the Prime Minister.
He’s adamant there will be no change of Liberal leadership before the election.
“We’re weeks away from going into caretaker. We’re on the eve of an election and I have done my best as Defence Minister to prepare our country for a different time ahead than I think what we’ve known, even in our lifetime,” he told Neil Mitchell.
“I want to be the Defence Minister in Scott Morrison’s government even after the election because I do believe we need to be realistic about the treats we face and I want to be part of dealing with that.”
NEIL MITCHELL: “Has anybody floated the idea with you of being leader?”
PETER DUTTON: “Yes, over different times yes, that’s the honest reality.”
NEIL MITCHELL: “But recently?”
PETER DUTTON: “No, not recently.”
Mr Dutton says the last time he was approached by others within the party to ask if he’d be interested in leading was when Malcolm Turnbull was leader.
But he says every member of Parliament wants to be the Prime Minister, and those who say they don’t are lying.
“There are 151 people in Parliament, one is the Prime Minister, 150 others want to be. People who tell you they’re not interested … they’re not being genuine with you,” he said.
Press PLAY below to hear Neil Mitchell quizzing Mr Dutton