MELBOURNE
Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Friday that he and his deputy will "stand together" in a challenge to his post as the country's leader and Liberal party head.
Faced with Tuesday's vote of no confidence, Abbott told reporters that he and Julie Bishop would stand against the motion.
"They [the no-confidence backers] are asking the party room to vote out the people that the electorate voted in in September 2013," he added.
Abbot has faced growing questions about his leadership in recent weeks following an election loss in the state of Queensland and his much crticized honoring of Britain's Prince Phillip with a knighthood.
Bishop issued a statement Friday saying that due to Cabinet solidarity, there should be faith in the current leaders in Tuesday's motion.
She did not, however, commit herself to stand by Abbott if the motion is passed.
“I agreed with P.M. that due to cabinet solidarity and my position as deputy there should be support for the current leadership in the spill [no-confidence] motion,” she said in a statement to Sky news.
Earlier this week, West Australian backbencher Luke Simpkins submitted the motion to Chief Government Whip Philip Ruddock calling for a spill of the leader and deputy positions.
It will be seconded by another backbencher, Don Randall, when the party meets in capital Canberra on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, Treasury Minister Joe Hockey and Education Minister Christopher Pyne have said they will support Abbott in the vote.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Minister of Social Affairs Scott Morrison and Communication Minister Malcolm Turnbull have been mentioned as possible successors.
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