Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he plans to hold a party meeting on Friday if a majority of his ruling conservative Liberal Party lawmakers want it.

The AFP reports that if that meeting calls for a leadership ballot, he will quit Parliament.

That would create a by‑election that could cost the government its single‑seat majority or spur his replacement to immediately call a general election.

Peter Dutton and his supporters believe they have the numbers to topple Malcolm Turnbull as leader.

Turnbull says Australians will be rightly appalled by what they are witnessing in their nation's parliament today and in the course of this week.