WA Federal MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Christian Porter has thrown his support behind Tony Abbott.
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Mr Porter spoke on Friday afternoon, saying he did not support the proposed spill motion.
On Friday morning WA backbenchers Luke Simpkins and Don Randall announced they would move a leadership spill against the Prime Minister on Tuesday.
"I am a supporter of the Prime Minister's, I do not support the spill motion," Mr Porter said.
Christian Porter throws support behind PM, says spill unwise. Calling on Luke Simpkins to withdraw motion
#perthnews
pic.twitter.com/fXKutLQoo0 — Lisa Barnes (@Barnsy_Lisa)
February 6, 2015
Mr Porter said he had endeavoured to contact Mr Simpkins and Mr Randall to ask them to withdraw their motion and would continue to try to get in touch with them.
"I understand that they have some frustrations... the Liberal Party room is a forum that exists first and foremost for the purpose of people putting foward frustrations, particularly for members to address policy issues and strategic issues that they consider imperfect or require improvement," Mr Porter said.
He said the spill action "put a very dangerous cart before the horse".
"A spill motion is premature, it is precipitous, and it robs everyone in the party room from the ability to put a substantive view on things that may be of concern to them," he said.
He said he did not think there was strong support for a spill as he had not been contacted by any of the other 18 federal members within the WA Liberal division.
He said we would have expected to hear from his colleagues if they had major issues with the Prime Minister and other than Dennis Jenson - who had "put across some frustration" and the two members who had indicated they would move the motion - he was not aware of any others who had spoken out against the PM.
"I have not received a single telephone call or communication from any of them suggesting that they'd support a spill motion or that they do not support the Prime Minister," Mr Porter said.
