Liberal MP Julia Banks quits the party to sit on the crossbench

Scott Morrison's minority government is now on life support with Liberal MP Julia Banks quitting the party and threatening the Prime Minister's hold on power. Julia Banks blamed right-wing elements in the party for her decision to quit the government Julia Banks slammed the Coalition's paltry female representation, with the Liberal and National parties having just 19 female members in both houses of Parliament, making up just 18 per cent of government MPs Ms Banks previously sat next to former Liberal deputy Julie Bishop in the House of Representatives, after she quit as foreign minister upon receiving just 11 votes in the Liberal Party's August leadership ballot. Julie Banks quit the Liberal Party as her former boss Scott Morrison hinted at a May election, following an April budget surplus House of Representatives now Coalition 74 Labor 69 Crossbench 7 Adam Bandt Bob Katter Cathy McGowan Kerryn Phelps Rebekha Sharkie Andrew Wilkie Julia Banks Total 150 seats With Labor having 69 seats in the lower house, Bill Shorten could become PM if all of seven crossbenchers backed the Opposition in a no-confidence motion against the government. Ms Banks sensationally quit the Liberal Party on Tuesday, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the government would deliver a budget surplus on April 2 before going to an election. The new crossbencher was the only Liberal candidate to win a seat off Labor at the 2016 election and argued her constituents had wanted a moderate Liberal leader as PM Ms Banks has also hinted she would support a motion to introduce a federal Independent Commission Against Corruption Former election-winning Victorian Liberal premiers Jeff Kennett and Ted Baillieu have both accused their party of being too right-wing for the electorate, after the Liberal Party was reduced to just 15 seats in the 88-member lower house of state parliament.