Leadership upheaval the norm since 2008

John Howard was the last prime minister to serve a full term before losing the 2007 election, and becoming the first PM to lose his own seat.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott during Question Time.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott during Question Time. Source: AAP

THE REVOLVING LEADERSHIP DOOR IN AUSTRALIAN POLITICS SINCE 2007

OPPOSITION LEADER BRENDAN NELSON, 2008

After Peter Costello declined to stand for the Liberal leadership after the 2007 election defeat, Brendan Nelson tried to fill the giant shoes of John Howard and failed. Malcolm Turnbull took over in 2008 for his first iteration as Liberal leader.

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OPPOSITION LEADER MALCOLM TURNBULL, 2009

Climate change was to be the undoing of Turnbull the first time around. Kevin Andrews moved a spill on November 26, 2009 and lost. The next day Tony Abbott challenged but then declared he would back Joe Hockey. But when Hockey refused to oppose a carbon emissions trading scheme, Abbott stood at the December 1 ballot and defeated Turnbull by one vote.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott at an Indian restaurant launch in Melbourne's south east on Saturday February 17
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott at an Indian restaurant launch in Melbourne's south east on Saturday February 17 Source: SBS Punjabi
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PRIME MINISTER KEVIN RUDD, 2010

Labor's Kevin Rudd became one of the few Australian prime ministers to be dumped while in office when Julia Gillard rolled him in 2010 just before an election. She claimed government after 17 days of negotiation to win crossbench support.
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd Source: SBS
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PRIME MINISTER JULIA GILLARD, 2013

Three years later, Australia's first woman prime minister was gone when Rudd finally took his revenge after a failed 2012 coup attempt. In March 2013, Gillard called a spill but no-one challenged. Four months later on June 26, Gillard called Rudd's bluff again at 4pm and was gone in a caucus vote a couple of hours later. Rudd and Labor lost the election as expected.
Julia Gillard and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd before they became bitter rivals.
Ex primer ministra Julia Gillard (izquierda) y ex primer ministro Kevin Rudd Source: AAP
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PRIME MINISTER TONY ABBOTT, 2015

Abbott led the Liberal-National coalition to a storming victory over Rudd's Labor in 2013. He called a spill in February 2015, but it wasn't until September that Malcolm Turnbull finally moved after Abbott had lost 32 Newspolls in a row.
Abbott and Turnbull
Abbott and Turnbull Source: AAP
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PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM TURNBULL, 2018

Turnbull won a vote on his leadership 48-35 against Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on August 21. Although he survived, it's not seen as sign of strong party support and he could face another challenge from the now-backbencher before too long.

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By Helen Chen

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