Aussie Leader Turnbull Treads Carefully to Bridge Trust Gap

  • Ex-banker wary of alienating Liberal party's right wing
  • Efforts on same-sex marriage, republicanism put on hold

Malcolm Turnbull, Australia's prime minister, left, speaks during a news conference alongside Julie Bishop, Australia's foreign minister on Monday.

Photographer: Mark Graham/Bloomberg
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Under pressure seven months ago from Australia’s public and his own party, then-prime minister Tony Abbott vowed to be a leader who consulted more: he failed and this week was fired. To avoid that fate, replacement Malcolm Turnbull must show he’s addressed his own management shortcomings.

Turnbull, 60, has a lot to do: Stem the slide in the economy, build trust with the public, business and investors, and quickly heal a party rift that saw almost half the ruling Liberal lawmakers vote against him in a late-night leadership ballotBloomberg Terminal on Monday.