ACT senator Zed Seselja resigns position to support Peter Dutton
ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja has officially resigned as an assistant minister in the Coalition government, in a move designed to increase pressure on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Senator Seselja offered Mr Turnbull his resignation as assistant minister for science, jobs and innovation after backing Peter Dutton in Tuesday's leadership spill, won 48-35 by Mr Turnbull.
The prime minister did not initially accept Senator Seselja's offer, but with Mr Dutton planning a second strike against Mr Turnbull, Senator Seselja formally resigned on Thursday morning.
A spokeswoman for Senator Seselja confirmed Mr Turnbull had accepted the resignation.
Fairfax Media understands Senator Seselja, a staunch conservative in the Liberal Party, voted for Mr Dutton believing he was best able to speak to conservative voters lost since the last leadership change in 2015, and bring them back to the Coalition.
In his resignation letter, Senator Seselja says he was unable to give Mr Turnbull a commitment that he would support the prime minsiter in future leadership ballots.
On Thursday morning, Mr Dutton said he had spoken to Mr Turnbull and asked him to convene a party room meeting at which he would again challenge for the leadership.
Mr Dutton said he had advised Mr Turnbull that he believed the majority of the party room no longer supported the prime minister's leadership.
Mr Turnbull has not accepted Mr Dutton's request.
More to come.