Prime Minister Tony Abbott fires back after call for leadership ballot

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has shrugged off a leadership challenge from Malcolm Turnbull and said he will fight to remain in the top job at a party ballot tonight.

Mr Turnbull challenged Mr Abbott for the leadership of the nation and resigned from cabinet this afternoon.

Mr Abbott has fired back and said he would stay firm with his belief he was the right man for the job when the Liberal party voted later this evening.

"I will be a candidate and I expect to win," Mr Abbott said.

"You can trust me to deliver a stronger economy and a safer community."

Mr Abbott also warned the party as a whole that it was time to stand together.

"This country needs a strong and stable government and that means avoiding at all costs Labor's revolving door prime minstership," he said.

"I firmly believe that our party is better than this, that our government is better than this.

"The destabilisation just has to stop."

More to come.