Why Malcom Turnbull is challenging

WHY MALCOLM TURNBULL SAYS HE'S CHALLENGING TONY ABBOTT:

* "The government isn't providing the economic leadership we need. That's not the fault of individual ministers. Ultimately, the prime minister has not been capable of providing the economic leadership our nation needs."

* "We need a style of leadership that explains challenges facing Australia and the opportunities - a style of leadership that respects people's intelligence, explains complex issues and then sets out the course of action we believe we should take and makes a case for it. We need advocacy, not slogans."

* "If Tony Abbott stays, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will become prime minister."

* "The government has lost 30 Newspolls in a row. It is clear that the people have made up their mind about Mr Abbott's leadership."

* "We have a hugely talented team here in the parliament. What we have not succeeded in doing is translating those values into the policies and the ideas that will excite the Australian people and encourage them to believe and understand that we have a vision for their future."

* "We need a new style of leadership to deal with fellow members of parliament and the Australian people. We need to restore traditional cabinet government. There must be an end to policy on the run and captain's calls."

* "We need an open government that recognises there is an enormous sum of wisdom inside and outside parliament."

* "Few would say the cabinet government of Tony Abbott bears any similarity to the style of former prime minister John Howard and that's what we need to go back to."

* "The election is 10-11 months away and this needs to be resolved for the nation's sake."

(Source: Mr Turnbull's statement to the media at Parliament House)