Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

This is how Twitter responded to the #libspill drama

Journalists and pundits went into overdrive on social media covering and commenting on the Liberal leadership spill.

Turnbull

Source: AAP

While Liberal Party MPs were locked behind closed doors deciding who would lead the country on Tuesday morning, it seems everyone else was having their say on social media. 

At its peak, 575 tweets using the hashtags #libspill or #auspol were recorded per minute.

From the moment it was on until it was won took just 26 minutes. 

After days of speculation about leadership tensions, the sudden nature of the vote took many by surprise.

While some politics junkies relished the drama, others despaired at the nation's revolving door of leadership. 

The quality of the candidates - sitting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull or the polarising Peter Dutton - had others more worried.

Former politicians didn't miss the opportunity to have a dig either. 

It wasn't just Australians captivated by the action in Canberra.

Everyone has a theory on what will happen next. Will Peter Dutton make a second tilt or is there a longer term strategy here?

But one thing has sadly been ruled out.


1 min read

Published

Updated

By Rosemary Bolger



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world