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Australian PM Tony Abbott vows to fight lawmakers' challenge to unseat him

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Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the leadership challenge flies in the face of the people's vote in the September 2013 election. Photo: AFP

Conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who swept to power promising to bring stability to Australia, now faces being dumped after alienating voters and his own party with a series of perceived missteps and policy backflips.

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Abbott said today that he would fight a leadership challenge within his ruling Liberal Party next week, ending long speculation about his future.

Earlier in the day, Liberal lawmaker Luke Simpkins indicated he would move a motion to declare the leadership vacant, and a second lawmaker indicated he would second the motion.

“I have spoken to deputy leader Julie Bishop and we will stand together in urging the party room to defeat this [challenge],” Abbott told reporters. Julie Bishop, who also serves as foreign minister, and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull are the frontrunners to replace Abbott.

“As you know, two of my colleagues have called for a leadership spill of the two senior positions in our party,” Abbott said.

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He said that while the two lawmakers are entitled to the spill motion, “they are asking the party room to vote out the people that the electorate voted in in September 2013”.

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