The Liberal leadership spill, the second since Tuesday, was put into motion when a petition signed by 43 Liberal MPs was delivered to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday morning.

It sought for a party room meeting to be called and for a spill motion to be brought forward.

Fairfax Media has seen a copy of the petition, which includes signatures in order of when the signatories signed them.

Three of Tasmania’s four federal Liberal senators signed it –  and signed it early, cracking the top 15.

First there was Senator Jonathon Duniam, then there was Senator David Bushby and, finally, there was Senator Abetz.

Senator Richard Colbeck, a moderate like Mr Turnbull, was the only Tasmanian Liberal senator not to sign the petition.

After the PM had sighted the fateful document, an extraordinary turn of events unfolded in the Liberal party room: a motion to vacate Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop’s positions as the leader and deputy leader of the party, respectively, was only carried 45 votes to 40.

If the status quo forces had marshalled just three more votes, Mr Turnbull would still be Prime Minister.

Once the initial motion was carried, a ballot was held for the leadership of the party, with three MPs nominating for the position: Treasurer Scott Morrison, former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Ms Bishop.

Ms Bishop was the first to be eliminated from the race.

And so the final contest was between Mr Morrison and Mr Dutton, the latter of which was coming off the back of a bitter and divisive campaign for the prime ministership, which provoked some Liberal MPs to accuse Mr Dutton and his backers of bullying and intimidation.

But, against all odds, Mr Morrison prevailed with 45 votes to Mr Dutton’s 40.

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg was voted in as deputy leader of the party, claiming victory over former Health Minister Greg Hunt and former Trade Minister Steve Ciobo.

Senator Abetz, a power-broker within both the PLP and the Tasmanian Liberals, had publicly thrown his support behind Mr Dutton.

And now he’s calling for unity, after a week of internecine brawling in the Liberal Party.

In a statement, Senator Abetz congratulated both Mr Morrison and Mr Frydenberg and said he looked forward to working with them “in the best interests of Tasmania and Australia”.

“Today must mark a clean start for the Parliamentary Liberal Party and having worked with Mr Morrison well over a number of years, I am certain that he will lead a more consultative parliamentary party, be more responsive to issues raised with him and actively seek to bring back together our broad church,” he said.

“I am looking forward to working with all my colleagues to serve the people of Australia to the very best of our abilities.”

Senator Abetz said that while he and Mr Turnbull had “had our differences”, he was particularly appreciative of his “efforts in Tasmania” and wished him well for the future.

Tasmanian Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam also congratulated Mr Morrison and Mr Frydenberg.

“Both are very good friends to Tasmania - Mr Morrison saved our GST, and Mr Frydenberg is a great advocate for pumped hydro,” he said on Facebook.

“I look forward to working closely with both of them to continue to deliver for Tasmanians.”

Tasmanian Nationals Senator Steve Martin, a member of the Coalition, said he was “sympathetic” with the views of Tasmanians who were disappointed by the Liberal leadership uncertainty of the past week.

“I too have been disappointed by the negativity generated by the leadership challenge,” he said.

​“The Nationals have not been shaken by the leadership challenge and will continue to be the strong voice for regional Tasmania.” 

Tasmanian Liberals president Geoff Page thanked Mr Turnbull for the “support, leadership and friendship he has shown to Tasmania”.

“I would also like to congratulate the new leadership team of Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg who both have strong records of supporting this state,” he said. 

“The Tasmanian division stands ready to fight the Bill Shorten Labor-Green threat and deliver lower house seats at the next election.

“Whenever that is.”

Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman took to Twitter to express his well wishes for Mr Turnbull and his wife, Lucy.

“He has delivered a lot for our nation [and] Tasmania,” he wrote.

“Thanks Turnbull office for working closely with my government to deliver positive results for Tasmania.”

State Housing Minister Roger Jaensch lamented the federal Liberals’ infighting, saying Tasmanians were reacting “very badly to a week of politicians talking about themselves”.

“We need to be talking about what Tasmania needs and getting on with the job of governing,” Mr Jaensch said.

Tasmanian Labor Senator Carol Brown said Mr Morrison would offer more of the same for Tasmania.

“Scott Morrison’s been part and parcel of the policies and initiatives that Mr Turnbull’s taken that have affected Tasmania,” Senator Brown told media on Friday.

She also noted that Senator Abetz had been instrumental in “tearing down” Mr Turnbull.

Senator Brown’s Tasmanian Labor colleague in the upper house, Senator Helen Polley, was more pithy in her assessment of Mr Morrison.

​”This is just Malcolm Turnbull in a cheaper suit,” she said.

Like Senator Brown, Tasmanian Greens Senator Nick McKim pointed the finger at Senator Abetz for the crisis that had engulfed the federal government.

“Tasmania has been let down by the likes of Eric Abetz, who was working against this government instead of trying to represent this state,” he said.

“With any luck this will be the beginning of the end of his political career.”