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Bill Shorten calls Turnbull a 'white flag prime minister' – politics live
Labor attacks Turnbull's energy policy inconsistency – question time live
(35 minutes later)
On Ged Kearney’s question to the “current prime minister” Tony Smith had this to say:
I listened to the member for Batman and her question at the beginning had an inclusion, or a lead in, with respect to the question to the Prime Minister. I’m going to make it very clear having reflected through the answer that I’m not going to allow that to occur. If members are incapable of simply asking the question to the Prime Minister or minister without adding in any other words, I’m going to sit them down, and I won’t be offering a chance to rephrase the question.”
So that is a ‘no’ to questions for the “current” PM then.
A new week and Christopher Pyne has written a dixer for himself which doesn’t involve sledging unions showing where every modicum of self control in the Liberal party has gone lately (hint - it’s not in the party room)
Ged Kearney with a question for the “current prime minister”.
Can the prime minister confirm that he has had five different signature energy policies, including two just today? He is planning on dumping his signature business handout, and his government is completely paralysed by infighting and chaos. Isn’t it the case that Australians are paying the price for the circus that this government and its policies have become?
Josh Frydenberg takes this one:
“She should have welcomed today’s announcements because they will lower power prices,” he says. Continuing the “driving power prices down” line.
“At the end of the day, at the end of the day, we know what is going on over there,” Frydenberg says.
The problem is, we all know what is going on, full stop.
It is going to be very, very hard for Malcolm Turnbull to escape this:
Turnbull says the dumping of his energy policy followed "consultation" ... more like political panic as he moves further and further to the lunar right #auspol #qt
Mark Butler to Malcolm Turnbull: (I skipped over a dixer where Josh Frydenberg was talking about Labor’s “mixed messages” because there is only so much irony one blog can take)
Over the past two years, the prime minister has asked Labor to support an emissions scheme, a clean energy target, the guarantee that went to the party room last Tuesday, another version announced on Saturday and another policy four hours ago. Which of these policies does the government currently support? Aren’t Australians paying the price of five years of this government focusing on itself in several policies to bring down power prices for Australian households?
Turnbull does his best to claim that the problem is Labor’s and its lack of policy direction, but judging by the faces of those behind him, not even the government can pretend to agree with that today.
We move on to Julie Bishop – which is the first time we have heard or seen Turnbull’s deputy all day.
Oh goody.
We have reached the “I know you are, you said you are, but what am I?” part of today.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
When will the Prime Minister provide Labor with a copy of the legislation for today’s version of its energy policy, and will the Prime Minister work with Labor on a constructive bipartisan basis to reduce pollution, increase renewables, and deliver lower power prices for Australian families?
“The prime minister has passionately advocated the three things in his public life. The republic, climate change and his big business tax cuts. Given the prime minister has abandoned the republic, abandoned action on climate change, will he now rule out abandoning his centrepiece big business tax cut or is it the case that whenever it comes to a choice between his principles and his job, this prime minister stands for nothing at all?”
Turnbull starts with a reference to Shorten’s grin
Turnbull:
“The Labor party stands for higher personal income taxes, higher business and company taxes, posing multinational tax avoidance, placing greater childcare support for families, opposing funding the NDIS, wanting to keep secret and corrupting payments between employers and unions and opposing restoring the rule of law to the construction sector. Mr Speaker, the reality is the Labor party does not have one policy that will encourage one business to invest $1 or hire one employee.
“Now, by contrast, what we have done is we have stood up for businesses and we have seen the strongest jobs growth last year … because we are supporting business, and we are standing up for hard-working Australian families and giving them at break this year and a longer term reform that will see 94% of Australians relieved from the curse of bracket creep paying no more than 32.5 cents on any extra dollar they earn.
“Mr Speaker, the honorable member talks about climate change. Well, we are taking real action on climate change, we are. [Labor laughs]
“What about the leader, the deputy prime minister mentions Snowy Hydro 2.0? That is the largest pumped hydro project in the southern hemisphere. We got it started, we have got it under way. Labor was able to deliver one policy after another that reduced the reliability of electricity networks and increase their cost. We are delivering the largest renewable energy project in Australia’s since Snowy Hydro 1.0. That is our commitment. Committed to a responsible approach to the environment, cheap electricity prices and a strong economy.”
In between question time and now, I had A LOT of chats with government MPs and Queensland campaign types, and they all seem to feel the pressure is off Malcolm Turnbull.
I received almost an hour of “changing prime ministers would be insanity” type rants. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Just that for now, the party is feeling like the solution would be worse than the symptoms.
Interestingly, most of those I just spoke to seem to think that heading into opposition might actually “help us get our shit together”.
“Labor was a mess, but they’ve been pretty united and focused for six years now – and I don’t think you would see them do what we’ve been doing. Maybe we need some time to reflect to sort that out for ourselves,” one said.
Michael McCormack: still looking for a QT personality.
Even after everything.
Which means – this is it. This, what he has landed on lately, is what we get from our deputy prime minister. Reading his answers like he’s addressing a year 9 debate team.
We take a step away from the Neg (RIP) and leadership for a moment for the crossbench question. Cathy McGowan has it today and it is on welfare:
“Australians want to know that the social safety net is there to catch and look after them as they engage with workforce or further study. It is not a punishment. Minister, will you support the establishment of this commission to ensure that people living on government payments have a dignified standard of living?”
Dan Tehan:
He starts by talking about the success of the government to get people off unemployment benefits and the cashless welfare card. He also talks about how the pension for couples has gone up by $150. But he doesn’t answer the question.
McGowan goes to get up and bring him up on a point of order, but points out that she believes “the answer has rambled to its end”.
The chamber laughs - it is a nice bit of levity in a pretty tense day in that place.
Tayna Plibersek to Malcolm Turnbull:
Is legislating the government’s energy policy and issues central to government policy? Is it of vital importance?
There are “ooooohhhhhs” from the chamber. I assume because it is an actual question.
Turnbull:
“What is vital is getting energy prices down. That is what Australians want us to do. I would have thought the deputy leader of the opposition would understand that we need to ensure that the rapid rise in energy prices way above the rate of inflation, has gone on for too long. We have taken strong measures to bring it down, it is starting to come down, and we have to do more. So, what we are doing is using the recommendations from the ACCC to ensure that we have the tools to make the big retailers, the big energy companies, serve their customers, and deliver for them. That is our permit it. Cheaper electricity.”
Nola Marino has sent out a reminder to all Liberal party members about the party room meeting tomorrow. I kid you not. How on earth would ANYONE in the Liberal party forget about that?
This is the second “alternative” policy dixer – looks like Christopher Pyne is repeating himself today.
Not even Scott Morrison seems himself today. Labor on the other hand, are having a great time.
Malcolm Turnbull:
I have to hand it to the leader of the opposition. He was able to restrain his smirk into halfway through that question. I have never heard a less convincing advocate for bipartisanship than the leader of the opposition. Mr Speaker, he is all politics and no policy. The simple fact is, what we have got our measures that will bring down electricity prices by hundreds of dollars. Strong measures. Strong measures and measures that are working already. All Labor has is a ragbag of measures that have been proven to fail, unsustainable renewable targets, unnecessary renewable targets, unsustainable emissions abatement targets. All of that has demonstrated to put up higher prices, to put up higher prices and undermine our competitiveness. If Labor was serious about energy policy they would be supporting policies based on economics and engineering, that is what we are doing and that is why we are seeing lower prices and we have more to come.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
When will the prime minister provide Labor with a copy of the legislation for today’s version of its energy policy, and will the prime minister work with Labor on a constructive bipartisan basis to reduce pollution, increase renewables, and deliver lower power prices for Australian families?
Turnbull starts with a reference to Shorten’s grin.
Not surprisingly, it is all on this morning’s announcement.
Not surprisingly, it is all on this morning’s announcement.
.@ShaneRattenbury “The NEG is dead. It was hailed as a policy to address the ‘trilemma’ of prices, reliability and emissions reduction. Instead, Federal energy policy is being determined by the worst, climate change denying elements of the Liberal party” #auspol #NEG
.@ShaneRattenbury “The NEG is dead. It was hailed as a policy to address the ‘trilemma’ of prices, reliability and emissions reduction. Instead, Federal energy policy is being determined by the worst, climate change denying elements of the Liberal party” #auspol #NEG
David Littleproud is now talking about “drought-proof” Australia in the same press conference where the Nationals are celebrating the end of an emissions reduction target and talking about “coal, coal, coal”.
You cannot script this.
The PMO has issued the press conference transcript from this morning.
Here is everything Malcolm Turnbull said before questions:
We are doing everything we can to bring your electricity bill down. Our priority is cheaper electricity.
“Now today, we’re going to announce a range of new measures that will drive down the cost of energy for Australian families and businesses, hundreds of dollars of savings, as I’ll come to in a moment.
“But first, let me say a few words about the national energy guarantee.
“Now it is clear that in the absence of bipartisan support, the legislation to move forward with the emissions component of the national energy guarantee will not be able to pass the House of Representatives. Now in politics you have to focus on what you can deliver and that’s what we’ve done and will continue to do.
“Now, while the policy, the legislation, has the clear support of the Coalition party room, as well as industry, experts, consumer groups – in fact I’ve never seen an energy policy that has broader support – in a parliament where there is just a one seat majority, the outstanding reservations of a number of our colleagues, combined with the absence of bipartisan support mean that as long as that remains the case we won’t be in a position to take that legislation forward. Now, where and when we believe there would be sufficient support in the House of Representatives, and obviously in our party room, to progress this component of the scheme we’ll bring it forward once again.
“Now, that in no way distracts from our primary focus, which is to bring power prices down.
“No single measure can achieve this. You’ve heard me say many times before, there’s no single reason why power prices have been so high and there’s no single solution. So that’s why we’re taking action right across the board, with retailers, distributors, generators.
“And together, our measures will deliver cheaper electricity.
“Now, I’ve asked the energy minister to talk with the states on the reliability guarantee. The national energy guarantee, as you know, was primarily designed as a response to the South Australian blackouts and the need to ensure that there was greater reliability or assured reliability in the energy market. That’s the most pressing issue and as the Energy Security Board has said, needs to be in place by July 2019. It’s not far away. Now, the absence – if that remains the case – of federal legislation on emissions intensity does not prevent the states from pressing on with the reliability guarantee. That in itself is also a very important tool to get power prices down.
“Now, let me turn now to the other measures we’re proceeding with.
“Power bills are one of the biggest cost-of-living pressures facing Australian families and indeed expenses facing Australian businesses. They’ve risen over the last decade by 56% above the rate of inflation. Rising electricity prices is causing families distress, which is why cheaper power has always been our number one priority when it comes to energy policy.
“Every measure we’ve taken in the past year has been to lower electricity prices for you; whether it has been making it easier to switch to a cheaper offer – remember we brought in all the retailers to ensure that they alerted people who were on the wrong plans to take up a better plan. We’ve ensured that gas companies make more gas available for Australians and lower prices, we are pursuing also with the national energy guarantee. Our measures are starting to work, with power prices falling for the first time in years in many parts of the nation. Now, that small relief was welcome, but we have to continue the work to drive down prices.
“Now in March last year, we asked the ACCC to investigate the energy market – a market we knew was not delivering for families and for businesses – and tell us what more we could do to lower prices. The report, which was 15 months in the preparation, was delivered to us last month. It confirmed what we knew, that the big energy companies were gaming the system to make huge profits – and you have seen those recently – at the expense of consumers. Indeed, that the energy market was no longer working in the interests of families or businesses big and small.
“Now the ACCC has given us a blueprint for new measures that would bring power prices down further. Some more radical than others, but all sensible and practicable.
“The treasurer and I have already indicated our support for several measures including the government effectively underwriting investment in new, competitive, dispatchable generation; lack of competition is a big problem in this market. By stepping in to help our big industrial and commercial customers make long contracts, we will ensure new generation gets financed and by getting more new generation finance, of course, we get access to more energy at lower costs – making the market work.
“So today, I’m announcing we’ll introduce a range of actions that will shift the balance of the electricity market back in favour of families and businesses.
“We’re going to stop the rampant price gouging by the big energy companies.
“We’ll shine a light on the hidden practices in the industry that drive up power prices and hold to account anyone who stands in the way of a better deal for Australian energy users.
“Now while this work was already under way, we’ve obviously listened to the concerns of our colleagues and our constituents, our communities, those on the frontline and we’ve listened to families concerned about their ability to pay their quarterly power bills and that’s why we’re accelerating this package of measures to ensure we can provide more relief to households.
“We’re adopting the ACCC’s proposal to establish a default market offer; a price expectation that will give consumers a clear picture of how much they should be paying for their electricity.
“For too long the energy companies have baffled consumers with confusing and complex offers, promising deep discounts to standing offer prices that bear little relation to the actual cost of providing electricity. By setting a default market offer from which all discounts must be calculated, consumers will be able easily to compare offers from different companies and recognise when they’re being ripped off or when they’re getting a fair deal. They’ll also be able to take up a default offer safe in the knowledge that they are not being gouged.
“Now the ACCC estimates that for average customers on an inflated standing offer the savings on moving to a new default market offer of the kind they recommend could range between $183 and $416.
“Now we also think small businesses, many of whom are on equivalent rates to households have the right to the same protections and support. The ACCC’s estimated gains for the average small to medium business on a standing offer, if they move to the default offer as proposed, could range between $561 and $1,457.
“Now we’re going to provide the ACCC and the Australian Energy Regulator with $31. 9m in additional funding to better monitor the electricity market and pricing to ensure all participants are acting in the best interests of their customers.
“Ultimately this will secure lower power bills in the short to medium term; but we want the big power companies to know that we mean business.
“So we will introduce significant new powers so the ACCC can step in where there has been an abuse or misuse of market power. In the most egregious cases of market abuse, where the warnings from the ACCC are not adequately addressed, additional powers will be conferred on government to issue directions on operations, functional separation and even as a last resort, divestiture of parts of the big power companies and we’ll begin work on this now.
“Now, some may say this is heavy-handed. People said that when I took on the gas companies to make sure that we had enough gas in eastern Australia. But you know, breaking up market concentration by ordering the separation of vertically integrated companies, yes, it is a power of last resort, but it’s necessary to have it available and we’ll make sure the government and the ACCC has the strongest tools with all of the appropriate safeguards.
“Now, each and every one of these measures is designed with just one purpose in mind – making sure you get the best deal on electricity, making sure we do everything we can to lower your electricity bill.
“The ACCC, after this most comprehensive study says they believe these initiatives can reduce power bills by hundreds of dollars for households and small businesses. Now, the minister for the environment and energy will work with his state counterparts to implement these measures recommended by the ACCC, but if necessary, if we can’t get the cooperation we need, we will put them in place with federal legislation.
“Now this is our commitment to the Australian people. We are determined that your power bill will be lower. We are determined to ensure that you get treated fairly by the big energy companies. We’re determined that the corner that we’ve turned on power prices is going to continue and we’re going to continue.”
Michael McCormack is thrilled coal is back on the agenda:
“The fact that there is going to be coal-fired power stations very much a part of the mix … I appreciate there is coal, pumped hydro, gas, all those things. But for us, coal is certainly very much part of our thinking, part of our strategy and support and I am delighted that the recommendations are going to be acted upon quickly, particularly the recommendation four [underwriting baseload power].”
Not that it matters at this stage, but the ACCC never said coal. It just said underwriting baseload power projects.
“I am not afraid to say the c-word, coal, coal, coal,” says Bridget McKenzie.
The Nationals have gathered around Michael McCormack – Bridget McKenzie, Matt Canavan and David Littleproud are all in shot, in the Nationals party room, in front of the flags, talking about the drought relief. Nigel Scullion is just off camera.
Nothing to see here, is the visual message. We are all behind the leadership.
Barnaby Joyce says his colleagues should get behind this new plan.
“I think it is a little bit dangerous when the political wing in Canberra is confused with the branch members in Queensland,” Joyce says on the LNP rumblings.
“We have had the fight, we have had the outcome and now we move on.
“I don’t think changing prime ministers looks good.”
Joyce says that Michael McCormack is safe.
Here is the whole George Christensen statement:
A NEW energy policy which will explicitly underwrite clean coal-fired power stations is a victory for common sense and lower power prices, federal member for Dawson George Christensen said this morning.
“We have a new energy policy thanks to a band of ‘Liberal National rebels’ who stood firm and fought for common sense,” Mr Christensen said.
“What has been announced this morning puts price reductions first and foremost, so pensioners struggling to pay their power bills come before the ‘feel good’ Paris Agreement.”
The key policy points are:
The Liberal National Government will both underwrite new clean coal-fired power stations and upgrade existing coal-fired power stations, as well as underwrite gas and hydro.
There will be no legislating or regulating the Paris Agreement or carbon emissions reductions.
There will be a default price for power which energy companies will need to abide by.
This will see savings for householders of between $183 and $416 for householders, and for job-creating small businesses of between $500 and $1500.
Big energy companies who abuse market power will be broken up
The Liberal National government will work with the States to ensure a guarantee around reliability so the power doesn’t go out again like it did in South Australia
“This new policy provides what I have been pushing for since this debate began, and credit is due to my Nationals colleagues, particularly deputy prime minister Michael McCormack and other Nationals cabinet ministers for the hard work they’ve done,” Christensen said.
“This is a victory for common sense, in that we take advantage of the abundant coal reserves this country still has, and we use that abundance to deal with this issue of power prices once and for all.
“It’s the solution offering certainty that puts the interests of householders, farmers, business owners and industry first.”
George Christensen is also happy:
Malcolm Turnbull's 'new' energy policy gets a big tick from LNP MP George Christensen: "A victory for common sense" “What has been announced puts price reductions first and foremost, so pensioners struggling to pay their power bills come before the ‘feel good’ Paris agreement."
Barnaby Joyce has popped up on Sky.
He says he is happy with the changes “a good outcome”, he says.
On whether Labor should have compromised (I am not sure on what, given there was no legislation to compromise on, in front of the House) Bill Shorten has this to say:
Do you have any idea what the current government position is? I think it is a fair point, but when you ask us what we will have to do to agree with them, what is their current position?
On Tuesday Mr Turnbull said an emissions target must be legislated. Then he said to not legislated would be an assault on democracy. Then Friday he was prepared to assault democracy. Today, we have our best hieroglyphics alternatives out trying to understand the merchant bankers’ gobbledygook policy this morning. When you have an alternative, come and talk to us. When the Prime Minister says bipartisanship is beyond us, that is unfair. We have been willing to consider whatever proposal they come up with. They don’t have a functioning proposal. Mr Turnbull sat down with us, but that has changed, I can’t keep up with the internal warfare”
Shorten wraps up by saying:
I would say to Malcolm Turnbull, please get your house in order, start focusing on the people and lower prices rather than just saving your own job.
