Dutton’s leadership safe for now, Liberals say, despite calls for change of direction after historic loss in Aston

Malcolm Turnbull says the party’s future rests on its ability to move back to the centre

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Peter Dutton’s leadership is safe for now as the Liberals have nowhere else to turn, party insiders claim, despite their third major loss since the federal election.

With the loss of the outer east Melbourne electorate of Aston in Saturday’s byelection, the Liberal party now holds just 14 of 79 federal urban seats. It has led to renewed calls for a major overhaul of strategy, and raised questions about Dutton’s leadership.

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