Malcolm Turnbull is Australia’s new prime minister.
The former communications minister ousted Tony Abbott from the top job, winning the leadership ballot 54 to 44.
Julie Bishop was voted deputy leader of the liberal party.
After rumblings of a leadership spill at the weekend, Malcolm Turnbull resigned from the ministry and – with Julie Bishop by his side – met with Tony Abbott after question time to tell the former prime minister the leadership would be contested.
Turnbull called a press conference at 4pm, announcing the spill and telling reporters “we need a different style of leadership” free of captain calls and slogans.
“A little while ago I met with the Prime Minister and advised him that I would be challenging him for the leadership of the Liberal Party,” Mr Turnbull told reporters at Parliament this afternoon.
“Now this is not a decision that anyone could take lightly. I have consulted with many, many colleagues, many Australians, many of our supporters in every walk of life.”
WATCH: Malcolm Turnbull announces challenge today.
At a late night press conference on Monday night Turnbull said he had no immediate plans to call an election and he expected to serve a full term.
He said he would announce ministry changes towards the end of the week.
“This has been a very important sobering experience today. I am very humbled by it. I am humbled by the honour and responsibility that has been given to me today,” he said.
“This has been a very important day in the life of the nation, the government and of course our party.
“Wanted to say at the outset, what a great debt the nation owes to Tony Abbott.
The burden of leadership is a very heavy one.”
