Australia's new Prime Minister Scott Morrison, a staunch conservative and devout Christian, yesterday pledged to heal the divided ruling Liberal party after a week of infighting that outgoing leader Malcolm Turnbull described as "madness".
Following a brutal coup that continued Australia's chaotic eight-year leadership roundabout, Mr Morrison emerged victorious in a 45 to 40 party-room vote against Mr Peter Dutton, a hardliner who led the campaign to topple Mr Turnbull.
Mr Morrison, 50, said he and the party's new deputy and Treasurer, Mr Josh Frydenberg, were part of a "new generation" that would deliver economic and national security.
"There has been a lot of talk this week about whose side people are on in this building," he said.
"What Josh and I are here to tell you, as the new generation of Liberal leadership, is that we are on your side."
Mr Morrison, a father of two and former manager of the nation's tourism body, said his immediate priority was to provide drought relief for struggling farmers but also signalled that he would focus on keeping electricity prices low.
However, his larger problem will be healing the wounds of a party that endured days of visceral internal combat. The leadership ballot yesterday followed a rebellion by Mr Dutton, former leader Tony Abbott and a group of right-wing MPs who have long regarded Mr Turnbull as too progressive.
The conservatives mistrusted Mr Turnbull on issues such as climate change and same-sex marriage, even though he repeatedly buckled to their demands.
In the end, Mr Dutton succeeded in dislodging Mr Turnbull but failed to win the main prize.
After losing the ballot, Mr Dutton promised not to undermine the new leader.
"My course from here is to provide absolute loyalty to Scott Morrison, and make sure we win the election," he said.
Mr Turnbull stood aside after the party voted to hold a leadership ballot - a move that was seen as a show of no-confidence in the leader. But the vote was closer than expected, with 45 calling for the ballot and 40 against.
The result showed the sharp divisions in the party but also resulted in the toppling of yet another elected Australian prime minister. Mr Turnbull toppled Mr Abbott in 2015 and this followed Labor's Mr Kevin Rudd's toppling of Ms Julia Gillard in 2013, who in 2010 had toppled Mr Rudd.
Former Liberal leader John Hewson, now a commentator and a professor at the Australian National University, said the chaos demonstrated the rise of a new breed of politicians who were "more interested in the game of politics rather than good governance".
"They put personal benefits and career ahead of the national interest," he told Agence France-Presse.
"Some of them are still playing university politics and they don't see that they have a responsibility."
Mr Turnbull, a former investment banker, blamed his downfall on an insurgency which attempted to "if not bring down the government, then bring down my prime ministership".
The turmoil has, as Mr Turnbull stated, left Australians "appalled".
Adding to the chaos, the former prime minister has signalled he will leave Parliament, which would force a by-election. This could threaten the ruling Liberal-National coalition's one-seat majority and force a new general election.
Mr Morrison, who was sworn in last night as the nation's 30th prime minister, has made clear he had no plans to call an early poll, which is due by May. The ruling coalition has trailed the opposition Labor party for years and events of the past week, no doubt, have done little to boost its popularity.
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