Australia's Prime Minister Is Ousted By His Own Party

Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit NOEL KING, HOST: All right, some interesting news out of Australia this morning. For the sixth time in 10 years, Australia has a new prime minister. This comes after a week of partisan feuding. And the man who finds himself in the top job is a complete surprise. Louisa Lim is reporting for NPR News from Melbourne. LOUISA LIM, BYLINE: It's been a head-spinning week in Australian politics and has produced a new prime minister, who until two days ago swore he didn't want the job. Former Treasurer Scott Morrison won the post in a surprise twist during an internal leadership contest in the ruling Liberal Party. ScoMo, as he's known here, is a conservative famed for his tough stance on asylum-seekers. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON: My plan for this country is for an even stronger Australia, to keep our economy strong, to guarantee the essentials that Australians rely on, to keep Australians safe from terrorism. LIM: His