 He was popular in caucus, but both chief whip Ron Barclay and senior minister Warren Freer saw him as indecisive and not leadership material.As Barclay learned that Faulkner could win on the first ballot, he got Freer to stand for deputy to split the vote, and Bob Tizard won on the fourth ballot.In a surprise move, Rowling decided to remove Faulkner as Defence minister and instead appointed him as Minister of Labour instead.