A Liberal leadership spill motion has been voted down 61-39 after a party-room meeting in Canberra today.
101 MPs where present for the ballot while Queensland Liberal MP Ross Vasta was absent because his wife had recently given birth.
The motion, moved by West Australian MP Luke Simpkins, lasted only minutes.
Tony Abbott was this morning joined by a throng of party members on his way into the vote including Deputy Leader and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Finance Minister, Mathias Cormann.
Addressing media after the vote, Chief Whip Philip Ruddock said the result was "very clear."
It came after a Newspoll released today showed the prime minister's approval rating had fallen to a record low.
The Coalition's primary vote was also down three points to an eight-month low of 35 per cent.
MORE TO COME
