Malcolm Turnbull has been ousted as Prime Minister of Australia and as leader of the Liberal Party after being forced out in a leadership contest.

Under pressure from poor polling and by-election defeats in the run-up to next year’s federal election, Turnbull faced calls to stand down from many conservatives in his party.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has come Prime Minister in a race with Home Affairs Minister and hard-right conservative Peter Dutton.

Turnbull is now the fourth Prime Minister in a decade to be ousted by their party.

In a press conference, Mr Turnbull said that Australians would be ‘dumbstruck’ by the disloyalty and insurgency by members of the governing party.

He also reaffirmed a previous commitment to quit political life in the near future.

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