This from the SMH: Loyalty, power and the plan to replace a PM.

Malcolm Turnbull offered Scott Morrison the position of treasurer in a Turnbull government in February, seven months before Tony Abbott was removed as prime minister.

It was the day before the first and unsuccessful spill motion against Mr Abbott, in a phone call with Julie Bishop as a silent participant, according to multiple informed sources. . . .

The call took place when Mr Turnbull and Ms Bishop happened to be at the same fundraising event in a private home in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra on Sunday, February 8. They repaired to a quiet room and closed the door for privacy.

Mr Turnbull phoned Mr Morrison, who was in his car driving to Canberra for the spill the next day. The phones at both ends of the call were switched to speaker-phone.

“Multiple informed sources”, were they? So let us see who could have known about this private conversation between Malcolm, Julie and Scott? Why it would be Malcolm, Julie and Scott.

And who come out looking like weaselly and duplicitous, or in other words, who would not have wanted to see this story in the press? Why none other than Julie and Scott. And who had ambitions to lead the party, as a kind of heir to Tony on the conservative side? Here we are down to Scott alone, who since becoming Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Middle Easter Affairs (Frydenberg Division), has done nothing but turn off those of us who still hold Tony in high esteem.

And in whose interests is all this leaking and story telling? I’ll have to think about it and will get back as soon as I can work it out. Whoever it is, must have irritated the others to an incredible extent. At least we can rule out Malcolm because how crazy would you have to be to start leaking against a government you lead.