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| Coalition defends energy plan by attacking Labor's record – politics live | Coalition defends energy plan by attacking Labor's record – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.11am BST | |
| 07:11 | |
| Gareth Hutchens | |
| Scott Morrison was just interviewed by Sky News’ David Speers. | |
| He promoted the government’s new energy policy, and said Labor had no reason not to support it. | |
| He also defended the claim that the energy policy will reduce households’ power bills, and relied on analysis of modelling (modelling he hasn’t seen) to prove his point. | |
| David Speers: Labor wants to see the detailed modelling. If you were in opposition you’d be saying the same about something as big as this? | |
| Morrison: There’s no reason why Labor cannot commit in principle to this right now. | |
| “There’ll be further work done, as was said today, by the Energy Security Board. That was announced in the press conference. Their initial estimates put the savings at $115.. | |
| Speers: How confident are you about that saving? | |
| Morrison: “Well, I’m as confident as the Energy Security Board is and they are one of the most esteemed group of people looking at energy market issues, and their economists and professionals, that you could assemble in the country. | |
| Speers: Have you had a look at the modelling? | |
| Morrison: “What it is is an analysis. There is further modelling to come. That’s what they’ve been tasked with, and that’s what was said in the press conference today. But they’re looking at... | |
| Speers: So it is modelling or an analysis? | |
| Morrison: “Let me finish the point. What they’ve said in their analysis is that wholesale prices could be 8-10% lower than they would under a CET under the National Energy Guarantee (NEG). That is their professional view at this point. They will do more work, as they should, because that point now is to take this forward as a proposal to COAG, because remember the Energy Security Board was set up by COAG and now they can put that recommendation to them. | |
| Speers: But this is important, I mean you keep stressing … the savings, but it’s based on what, analysis or modelling? | |
| Morrison: “It’s based on exactly what was said at the press conference by the Energy Security Board today. They’ve looked at a whole range of previous schemes and they’ve looked at how that plays out, and they’ve come up with that estimate and they’ve indicated they’ll be conducting further analysis. | |
| “Remember this is what’s happening - the subsidies are being stripped out from this, so you’re removing an entire cost within the system, so there are obviously going to be lower, they have to be lower… | |
| “I’ve got the Energy Security Board’s letter to the government here today and this is what is says: it says “It is expected that following the Guarantee it could lead to a reduction in residential bills in the order of $100-$115 per annum,” and that’s what it says. That is the advice. | |
| Speers: Averaged over a decade. So what would [the savings] be in the first year or two? | |
| Morrison: “I can only tell you what it says in this letter, because that’s the information the government has. | |
| Speers: Have you asked them about this? Are you aware it might only be $25 a year? | |
| Morrison: “I think the further work will provide for that, but the one thing you can’t walk away from is under this plan prices will be lower. They can’t be higher. | |
| Speers: Can you guarantee that? | |
| Morrison: “Well they have to be David. | |
| Speers: So you guarantee they’ll be lower? | |
| Morrison: Of course they will be lower than what they could otherwise be because the subsidies aren’t there. If I sell you something and there’s a $15 subsidy in there that you’re paying and I pull the $15 out, well it’s going to be cheaper. That’s what we’re doing. | |
| 7.06am BST | |
| 07:06 | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.06am BST | |
| 6.51am BST | |
| 06:51 | |
| Paul Karp | |
| Alan Finkel didn’t quite ever go as far as saying the National Energy Guarantee would be as good as his preferred Clean Energy Target, but he claim pretty close, calling it a different “credible mechanism” that: | |
| maps “almost hand in glove” with what he recommended about the need for a transition in the energy market | |
| is “absolutely capable of achieving the goal” of reliable energy that meets emissions targets; and | |
| is likely to have “a similar price impact” to the CET. | |
| When pressed as to why the CET is described as the “preferred” mechanism in his report, Finkel noted that his report didn’t model the Neg, and he gives a similar answer when asked if he is now agnostic between the two. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.03am BST | |
| 6.49am BST | |
| 06:49 | |
| Statement from Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, on the Government’s energy announcement #auspol pic.twitter.com/Tj37Reu8Xh | |
| 6.45am BST | |
| 06:45 | |
| Matt Canavan is calling the policy a “win for common sense”. | |
| Word out of the party room meeting was Canavan was one of the dissenting voices. He tells Sky it will “last and give businesses the certainty they need”. | |
| He says it is more likely a new coal fired power station could be built under this policy, than what the Labor party was putting forward, but the policy is “technological neutral”. | |
| Updated | |
| at 6.48am BST | |
| 6.21am BST | 6.21am BST |
| 06:21 | 06:21 |
| Alan Finkel says he was consulted on the Neg at a late stage, but did not see any price modelling. | Alan Finkel says he was consulted on the Neg at a late stage, but did not see any price modelling. |
| He says there is “more than one way to skin a cat” and 49 out of 50 of his recommendations” were very rapidly agreed to” and now a “different version of not the clean energy target, a different version of the orderly transition recommendation. | He says there is “more than one way to skin a cat” and 49 out of 50 of his recommendations” were very rapidly agreed to” and now a “different version of not the clean energy target, a different version of the orderly transition recommendation. |
| The clean energy target is not a headline item, it is bullet point number two of three bullet points, it is not even introduced as a clean energy target, it is introduced as the need for a credible mechanism and there are multiple ways of achieving a credible mechanism.” | The clean energy target is not a headline item, it is bullet point number two of three bullet points, it is not even introduced as a clean energy target, it is introduced as the need for a credible mechanism and there are multiple ways of achieving a credible mechanism.” |
| So Finkel is saying he recommended a credible mechanism to transition to lower emissions–and that a clean energy target is not the only way to do that. | So Finkel is saying he recommended a credible mechanism to transition to lower emissions–and that a clean energy target is not the only way to do that. |
| 6.07am BST | 6.07am BST |
| 06:07 | 06:07 |
| The IPA has also released its thought on the Neg: | The IPA has also released its thought on the Neg: |
| “The government’s decision to keep emissions reductions at the centre of Australia’s energy policy is a missed opportunity,” said Daniel Wild, research fellow with the free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs. | “The government’s decision to keep emissions reductions at the centre of Australia’s energy policy is a missed opportunity,” said Daniel Wild, research fellow with the free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs. |
| “The government should eliminate emissions reductions as a component of Australia’s energy policy. Accounting for just 1.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions Australia makes no noticeable difference to the global climate or the global temperature. | |
| “The world is moving away from emissions reductions policies after seeing the destructive effect they have had on energy markets. The United States has signalled its withdrawal from the Paris agreement and so should Australia. | |
| “The claim that the world is moving towards renewables is a myth. There are 1,339 coal plants in operation around the world, with another 1,500 in the pipeline. | |
| “However, the government’s decision not to continue with the renewable energy target from 2020 and not introduce a clean energy target is a sensible decision. | |
| “This is a middle-of-the-road proposal that will see the renewable energy target continue to operate until 2020 and keep emissions reductions at the heart of Australia’s energy policy. | |
| “Rather than waiting until 2020 the government should immediately abolish the renewable energy target. That would be the surest way of putting downward pressure on prices and improving reliability.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.03am BST | |
| 6.02am BST | 6.02am BST |
| 06:02 | 06:02 |
| Chief scientist Alan Finkel is due to speak to the media later this afternoon. | Chief scientist Alan Finkel is due to speak to the media later this afternoon. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.10am BST | at 6.10am BST |
| 5.58am BST | 5.58am BST |
| 05:58 | 05:58 |
| Labor has followed up question time with a press conference with Mark Butler. | Labor has followed up question time with a press conference with Mark Butler. |
| “We have had confirmed in the last couple of hours that there hasn’t even been any detailed modelling about the impact on business, on households, on the energy industry itself, so we have to have some real facts around this ... once we have those facts, our obligation, our commitment is to sit down with business, with the energy industry, with the state and territory governments that after all are going to be expected to implement this thing if it goes forward and start to talk to them about a way forward on energy policy.” | “We have had confirmed in the last couple of hours that there hasn’t even been any detailed modelling about the impact on business, on households, on the energy industry itself, so we have to have some real facts around this ... once we have those facts, our obligation, our commitment is to sit down with business, with the energy industry, with the state and territory governments that after all are going to be expected to implement this thing if it goes forward and start to talk to them about a way forward on energy policy.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.10am BST | at 6.10am BST |
| 5.39am BST | 5.39am BST |
| 05:39 | 05:39 |
| Gareth Hutchens | Gareth Hutchens |
| And just a bit more on that 2+ hour joint party room meeting from this morning. | And just a bit more on that 2+ hour joint party room meeting from this morning. |
| Energy minister Josh Frydenberg gave a long presentation, complete with slides and graphs, about the government’s new energy policy. | Energy minister Josh Frydenberg gave a long presentation, complete with slides and graphs, about the government’s new energy policy. |
| He was joined by Audrey Zibelman, the chief executive of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), and John Pierce, the chairman of Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC). | He was joined by Audrey Zibelman, the chief executive of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), and John Pierce, the chairman of Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC). |
| Questions or comments were invited to Frydenberg, and where appropriate to Zibelman and Pierce. | Questions or comments were invited to Frydenberg, and where appropriate to Zibelman and Pierce. |
| The discussion on energy went from 9am to 11.20am. | The discussion on energy went from 9am to 11.20am. |
| Thirty MPs spoke in the discussion, and almost all of them endorsed the policy. | Thirty MPs spoke in the discussion, and almost all of them endorsed the policy. |
| “Congratulations. Bloody brilliant,” said one MP afterwards (apparently). | “Congratulations. Bloody brilliant,” said one MP afterwards (apparently). |
| One backbench colleague began by saying well done, and he was very happy the government was not proceeding with the clean energy target. But he still had concerns about energy prices, and he suggested the government should build a coal-fired power station. | One backbench colleague began by saying well done, and he was very happy the government was not proceeding with the clean energy target. But he still had concerns about energy prices, and he suggested the government should build a coal-fired power station. |
| He said “If it’s a choice between reducing emissions and reducing prices, where does this policy take us?” | He said “If it’s a choice between reducing emissions and reducing prices, where does this policy take us?” |
| Malcolm Turnbull, Pierce and Zibelman addressed his concerns directly. There there were a number of reasons why policy would reduce prices but emphasised, repeatedly, that it would create certainty for investors. | Malcolm Turnbull, Pierce and Zibelman addressed his concerns directly. There there were a number of reasons why policy would reduce prices but emphasised, repeatedly, that it would create certainty for investors. |
| A National party backbencher also criticised the policy, saying he was concerned about its attempt to maintain fidelity to the Paris targets. He said the Paris target shouldn’t be a consideration. | A National party backbencher also criticised the policy, saying he was concerned about its attempt to maintain fidelity to the Paris targets. He said the Paris target shouldn’t be a consideration. |
| The policy was endorsed by acclamation. | The policy was endorsed by acclamation. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.05am BST | at 6.05am BST |
| 5.36am BST | 5.36am BST |
| 05:36 | 05:36 |
| Back in the House and Michelle Rowland wants to discuss the “government’s second-rate copper NBN” as the matter of public importance. | Back in the House and Michelle Rowland wants to discuss the “government’s second-rate copper NBN” as the matter of public importance. |
| 5.26am BST | 5.26am BST |
| 05:26 | 05:26 |
| The Victorian Council of Social Services has reacted to the Neg. | The Victorian Council of Social Services has reacted to the Neg. |
| So about that National Energy Guarantee idea... 🔌 pic.twitter.com/gqqns8FOzp | So about that National Energy Guarantee idea... 🔌 pic.twitter.com/gqqns8FOzp |
| 5.19am BST | 5.19am BST |
| 05:19 | 05:19 |
| Whatever did they do in the time before smartphones? | Whatever did they do in the time before smartphones? |
| 5.17am BST | 5.17am BST |
| 05:17 | 05:17 |
| We finish on a Dixer from Greg Hunt, where he gets to tell us the importance of keeping the power on in hospitals. | We finish on a Dixer from Greg Hunt, where he gets to tell us the importance of keeping the power on in hospitals. |
| So energy, energy, energy and Malcolm Turnbull appeared to actually feel good about the day. Labor didn’t really get a strong attack line in, but expect that to change as they wrap their head around the policy and look for those cracks. | So energy, energy, energy and Malcolm Turnbull appeared to actually feel good about the day. Labor didn’t really get a strong attack line in, but expect that to change as they wrap their head around the policy and look for those cracks. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.20am BST | at 5.20am BST |
| 5.14am BST | 5.14am BST |
| 05:14 | 05:14 |
| Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull decides to answer another question from Tony Burke, who wants to know about those savings (which don’t start until 2020 and on average last until 2030). | Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull decides to answer another question from Tony Burke, who wants to know about those savings (which don’t start until 2020 and on average last until 2030). |
| “Did the Energy Security Board provide any other lower figures to the government about possible household savings?” | “Did the Energy Security Board provide any other lower figures to the government about possible household savings?” |
| The prime minister is quite careful … “The only information I have relating to the savings are contained in the letter from the Energy Security Board that is now – that is now public document. And that provides the $110 to $115 figure.” | The prime minister is quite careful … “The only information I have relating to the savings are contained in the letter from the Energy Security Board that is now – that is now public document. And that provides the $110 to $115 figure.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.17am BST | at 5.17am BST |
| 5.11am BST | 5.11am BST |
| 05:11 | 05:11 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.16am BST | at 5.16am BST |
| 5.04am BST | 5.04am BST |
| 05:04 | 05:04 |
| Another question for the prime minister, which is punted to the energy minister. | Another question for the prime minister, which is punted to the energy minister. |
| It’s more of the same. | It’s more of the same. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.10am BST | at 5.10am BST |
| 5.03am BST | 5.03am BST |
| 05:03 | 05:03 |
| From before Linda Burney was booted. Although, it could still make sense if someone added a question mark. | From before Linda Burney was booted. Although, it could still make sense if someone added a question mark. |
| The opposition send a message to the PM during #qt @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus @murpharoo #politicslive pic.twitter.com/IccCi5uw9C | The opposition send a message to the PM during #qt @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus @murpharoo #politicslive pic.twitter.com/IccCi5uw9C |