Former Queensland premier Campbell Newman calls on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to quit
By Chris O'Brien
Updated 57 minutes agoThu 29 Jun 2017, 12:34pm Photo: Mr Newman said Mr Turnbull should resign before he is knifed by his own party. (ABC News) Related Story: Pyne apologises for same-sex marriage remarks Related Story: Turnbull stares down critics amid calls to axe Pyne and reshuffle ministry
Former Queensland premier Campbell Newman says Malcolm Turnbull should "do the right thing" and resign as Prime Minister to avoid another leadership showdown.
Speaking on ABC Radio Brisbane Mr Newman accused Mr Turnbull of dividing the Liberal Party, turning it left and driving away its base.
But he said voters would not tolerate a political move against an elected leader.
"He can't be deposed — we can't have another execution," he said.
"I mean the public did vote for him, but he's got to do the right thing [and stand down].
"If I was Malcolm Turnbull I would look at what's going on. He's not a dummy, we all know that.
"He's got to look at the numbers, he's got to look at what's he's tried and clearly it isn't working.
"He is dividing the Liberal Party. There's a lot of attention on Tony Abbott for running around giving these speeches but the person who is really dividing the Liberal Party is actually Malcolm Turnbull." Abbott 'fundamentally correct'
The former premier, who led Queensland for one term from 2012 to 2015, said regional Australians, including north Queenslanders, "didn't get" Mr Turnbull.
"He just is completely out of touch with the psyche there is I suppose the way to put it," Mr Newman said.
But he said Labor was also in trouble in the north, and Pauline Hanson would do well there at the next state and federal elections.
"Up north she's a rock star, and up north is where both the state election and the federal election will be fought and won," he said.
"Seriously, the elections will be impacted greatly by what happens north of Noosa." Pyne a 'toffy-nosed, stuck-up public school boy'
Mr Newman also lashed out at Cabinet Minister Christopher Pyne, indicating he had not done enough to lift the party's electoral performance in South Australia.
"He should have a long, hard look at himself too because he has hurt the Government," Mr Newman said.
"I make the point about Christopher Pyne that in South Australia the primary vote of the Liberal Party is down to 29 per cent despite billions being thrown at the ship building down there — the new submarines," Mr Newman said.
He also targeted Mr Pyne's personal style.
"Frankly he is a walking talking advertisement of the caricature of a Tory toff," he said.
He described Mr Pyne as having the persona of a "toffy-nosed, stuck-up public school boy".
Mr Newman also hit out at the Government's decision to provide billions of dollars more for schools, calling it an outrageous decision.
"More money for education is not the solution," he said.
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Well there you go eh!
Dave R.
Photo: Mr Newman said Mr Turnbull should resign before he is knifed by his own party. (ABC News)
Photo: Mr Newman and Mr Abbott breakfasting together in 2012. (ABC: Tim Leslie)
