Liberal Party of Australia leadership spill, 2007
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A spill of the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia took place on 29 November 2007, following the defeat of the Howard Government at the federal election five days earlier. The resulting ballot was an open race as outgoing Prime Minister John Howard had lost his own seat at the election, and his preferred successor Peter Costello refused to stand.
An election for the deputy leadership of the party was held, as under Liberal Party rules, all leadership positions are declared vacant after a general election, no matter what the outcome.
John Howard announced his resignation on election night after the coalition's defeat in the 2007 federal election, including the loss of his own seat of Bennelong. He had led the party since 1995 and been Prime Minister since the 1996 election.
The deputy leader and outgoing Treasurer Peter Costello had for a long time been publicly heralded as the natural successor to John Howard, and was confirmed as such by Howard on 12 September. However, on 25 November, Costello announced he would not be a candidate for either leader or deputy leader of the party in opposition, saying that it was time for the party to move to the next generation, and that he himself intended to leave Parliament during the current term.
Peter Costello announced on 27 November that the leadership and deputy leadership would be decided at a meeting held at midday on 29 November. All Liberal MPs and Senators were invited to attend, including those whose seats had yet to be decided, with the federal director deciding who would be eligible to vote based on the most up-to-date election results. Due to this, questions within the party were raised over the rules and legitimacy of the ballot. The loss of John Howard in Bennelong meant that the election of a new leader had to be held much closer to the election than would normally occur.
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