It’s been reported that then Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove did indeed speak with then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull during last year’s leadership crisis.

It has been reported (Australian 26/6/19) that in August 2018 Malcolm Turnbull, at the time fighting for his political life, put it around that Peter Dutton, then his major opponent for the prime ministership, was ineligible to sit in the Parliament due to a possible conflict with section 44 of the Constitution and thus ineligible to be commissioned Prime Minister should he win the leadership ballot in the Liberal Party room. Mr Turnbull indicated that that would be his advice to the Governor-General.