By political correspondent Greg Jennett Friday 6 February 2015
Photo: Tony Abbott's leadership as Prime Minister is coming increasingly under fire, prompting speculation of a spill. (AAP: Britta Campion, file photo)
Related Story: MPs break ranks against Abbott as spill talk heats up
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Prime Minister Tony Abbott is facing a challenge to his leadership after Western Australia MP Luke Simpkins confirmed he would move a spill motion at Tuesday's party room meeting.
The Liberal Party last moved such a spill when former Leader Malcolm Turnbull was ousted by Mr Abbott in a party meeting in 2009, after Wilson Tuckey and Dennis Jensen made the request to chief whip Alex Somlyay.
In the event of a leadership spill motion being moved, there are no written rules on procedures for the debate.
Unlike Labor's Caucus, the Liberal party room operates on what party sources call "opaque procedures" and "unwritten conventions" under the chairmanship of the leader.
Here, however, is a guide to how a spill could work.
Any member may move a motion to spill leadership position(s)
When the party meets in the party room, any member can move the motion to spill the leadership position.
He or she would rise, with or without prior indication to the leadership group, seek the call and move a motion to spill.
The motion would normally specify whether the spill was of leader, deputy leader or both.
A seconder would be called for, but is not technically required if the leader chooses to let the discussion proceed.
The leader invites speakers 'for' and 'against' the motion
An exhaustive discussion and debate will follow.
Members will indicate, usually to the leader or deputy leader, their desire to speak.
Speakers will often be called in alternating order; a "for" followed by an "against".
In the past, members have spoken, offered commentary, but neither declared themselves "for" nor "against".
All who want to speak may. Normal time limit for contributions is a "bell" at three minutes.
The leader assesses general will or mood of the party room
Even if every member has not yet spoken, but it is becoming obvious that there are many more "against" the spill motion than "for" it, the leader may exercise the right to call that the motion clearly will not succeed, and that debate should end and there is no spill.
There is no show of hands, rather the mood is gauged by listening to the speeches.
Alternatively, once all members have spoken, the spill may proceed.
Nominations are called
Candidates will stand and nominate themselves.
Whips will conduct a call of the roll, to get the exact number of members in the party room. That number of ballot papers will be prepared and distributed for a secret ballot.
Each member will write the name of the candidate they vote for on the ballot and place in a box.
Whips count ballots, rank the candidates in order of votes received and advise the result to the party room.
Liberal Party due to meet Tuesday
Only the leader has the power to call a party room meeting and set its time and location.
The Liberal Party is due to meet on Tuesday at 9:00am AEDT and the House of Representatives is due to meet at midday AEDT.
The Government has the responsibility to provide the quorum of 30 members, so unless Parliament is suspended, the sitting of Parliament would impose some constraints on the length of the party room meeting.
Three MPs have already publicly disavowed Mr Abbott, but Foreign Minister Julie Bishop - who is also regarded as a possible leader - told Cabinet that she would not challenge Mr Abbott and was not "campaigning" for the job.
Malcolm Turnbull has also given public assurances that "there is no tension between Tony and any of his senior colleagues. It is a very, very cohesive team and we are all supportive."
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- Entsch plans resolution of Abbott leadership drama
- Bishop says she won't challenge Abbott for leadership
- MPs break ranks against Abbott as spill talk heats up
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