LIBERAL PARTY powerbrokers are trying to dump Malcolm Turnbull for Joe Hockey in a bid to unify the party and block the emissions trading scheme - a move that will give the Rudd Government a trigger for a double dissolution election.
With the party imploding, Mr Turnbull told colleagues they would have to blast him out after they signalled yesterday he should stand aside voluntarily and be replaced by Mr Hockey.
A defiant Mr Turnbull told the Herald late yesterday that no one had asked him to quit and he had no intention of doing so. ''I will not step down,'' he said.
He rejected rebel demands that he hold a partyroom meeting at 9am on Monday and instead scheduled it for Tuesday at 9am, the usual time. It would be the second leadership spill against him in a week. The extra day will pressure the Senate to pass the emissions legislation on Monday, a deadline the Government set yesterday as it began positioning for an early election.
The rebels also overlooked the fact that some MPs, including Mr Hockey, would not be in Canberra on Monday.
Powerbrokers were confident Mr Turnbull was finished. They said his support base was dwindling and he would be rolled on Tuesday if he did not quit.
Mr Hockey, who is being pushed as a unity candidate, does not want to challenge and would take the job only if Mr Turnbull stood down and if Mr Hockey's wife, Melissa, agreed. The couple have three children aged under five.
Mr Hockey would run with Peter Dutton as his deputy and Mr Abbott would become shadow treasurer.
With Mr Turnbull digging in, pressure will be put on Mr Hockey over the weekend to challenge. If he resists, and Tony Abbott challenges, sources said Mr Abbott would win. Mr Turnbull was disputing this and telling people he had the numbers. Mr Turnbull has been told he can save himself if he bows to the rebels and agrees to delay the legislation until February.
One of his supporters, Scott Morrison, visited him yesterday. Mr Morrison would not say what transpired but others say he told Mr Turnbull to accept the offer of a delay and save his leadership. Mr Turnbull refused.
Mr Abbott opposes the ETS but Mr Hockey has supported it.
But under the plot being hatched by the powerbroker Nick Minchin, Mr Hockey would have to agree to delay the bill until February if he became leader.
Mr Hockey began walking away from the emissions trading scheme and Mr Turnbull yesterday and signalled he was open to change by posting the following message on Twitter:
''Hey team re The ETS. Give me your views please on the policy and political debate. I really want your feedback.''
Government sources said if the scheme was delayed it would never be passed and the Government would have an excuse for an early election. ''This is starting to look like a mess. We might have to step in and take control,'' a senior figure said.
The scheme was defeated in August and a second defeat would provide a trigger.
The acting Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, would not be drawn on an early election but warned that the Liberals had made a deal with the Government to pass the emissions legislation.
The Liberals welshed on an agreement to have the Senate complete the amendments by 3.45pm yesterday and Ms Gillard gave them until Monday.
''The issue for Monday is we will be here, ready to act in the nation's interest. We expect the Liberal Party to honour its agreement and to be here ready to do the same. If they fail to do so it will be clear they have been conquered by the sceptics and deniers in their ranks.''
Mr Turnbull said the Coalition would be ''wiped out''' in a double dissolution.
He said that since Thursday night, when 10 frontbenchers quit, his office had received 850 emails, of which 750 supported his position on the legislation. Someone malicious had also leaked his mobile phone number and he was receiving hate calls.
Mr Abbott said the only way to change the party's ETS policy was for either the party to change leader or for Mr Turnbull to ''come to his senses''.
''The last thing we want in the party room at the moment is to have another leader's blood on our hands, so to speak, but the most important thing of all is to get this policy changed.''
Senator Minchin said: ''The matter's in Malcolm Turnbull's hands.''
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