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| Malcolm Turnbull drops emissions target from national energy guarantee – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| So, the National Energy Guarantee is, as my colleague Gareth Hutchens just quipped, “Neg and buried”. | |
| Instead, the government will seek to tell private power companies to do, with a focus on lowering power prices. | |
| Again, directions of this kind could be used to keep a power station going and, in fact, there are many electricity markets in the world where there are rules that operate exactly like that. The United States, it is called the “generator must run” rule where a generator can be obliged to keep running in order to maintain the relevant level of supply and security. But I think the important thing is to focus on price, getting those prices down. I mean, in all of the discussions we have had with our colleagues and, indeed, with communities, everywhere you go, people are focused on getting their electricity bills down. That is what they want us to do. We are delivering, as I said. We have seen in the last quarter, the first downturn in electricity prices in a very long time. So we have got more to do and what we have announced today are measures that will succeed and I have in reason the doubt the calculations of the ACCC, succeed in reducing electricity bills by hundreds of dollars. Just one more, please.” | |
| His last answer is on whether or not he has spoken to Peter Dutton: | |
| Peter Dutton was at our leadership group meeting this morning and he was at the Cabinet last night. He’s a member of our team. He’s given me his absolute support.” | |
| Malcolm Turnbull’s words from 2009 - ““ I will not lead a party that is not as committed to effective action on climate change as I am “ have just been repeated back to him - and that, it turns out, that, yes, he is prepared to lead that party. | |
| He responds with: | |
| Again, that is an interesting speech that you’ve made to me. Can I say, I have, I enjoy the confidence of the cabinet and of my party room.” | |
| Katharine Murphy just said what we are all thinking – that effectively, Malcolm Turnbull has just announced Tony Abbott’s energy policy for him. | |
| Turnbull, who looks more exhausted and, to be honest, broken, then I have ever seen him (I wasn’t here in 2009, so can’t compare) says: | |
| Our energy policy, our energy policy remains the same, but we are not going to present a bill into the House of Representatives until we believe it will be carried. Right? Our energy policy remains the same. We’ve got the improvement that I referred to earlier to the national energy guarantee, but we obviously need the support of sufficient of our colleagues to get it passed and that means, you know, substantially all of them. | |
| As Laura Tingle just pointed out in the press conference, Malcolm Turnbull is moving forward with these changes, despite not knowing Labor’s position. He is trying to say that he has “overwhelming” support in the party room, at the same time as he is admitting that he doesn’t have the support to carry the bill in the House of Representatives. | |
| We are parties to the Paris Agreement and the government has committed to that, but the simple reality is that we need to have, you know, effectively, all of our members in the House of Representatives to vote with the government to carry legislation, now, you know, you all understand the arithmetic of that and at this stage we don’t have, we have a number of, you know, a number of people, it is not a huge number, it’s a small number, I suppose, in the scheme of things. But nonetheless, it would be sufficient to prevent us from carrying the legislation. So we continue to talk to our colleagues about it, but the, you know, we are not going to propose legislation that will purely for the purpose of it being defeated.” | |
| Here is where Malcolm Turnbull admits he doesn’t have enough support in the party room to pass his legislation: | |
| The National Energy Guarantee remains the government’s policy, but as you know, as John Howard said politics is governed by the iron laws of arithmetic and in a House of Representatives with a one seat majority, even with strong support in the party room, if a small number of people are not prepared to vote with the government on a measure then it won’t get passed. So that is the, so that’s the reality. Our policy remains to have the emissions intensity standard in the legislation. | |
| The addition that we’ve, cabinet has agreed and which I flagged over the weekend, that came out of our discussions with colleagues is a very valuable one which is that any establishment of an emissions standard or variation of one, would require the confirmation from the energy regulators and the ACCC that it would not increase electricity prices. | |
| I think that would be a very valuable improvement, but of course, it is a moot point until such time as we have enough support to pass it through the House. | |
| So, in effect, the Neg is done and dusted. There will be no legislated emissions target. | |
| Malcolm Turnbull has capitulated to the minority of his party to save his leadership. There is no other way to view this. | |
| After a little to and fro over who gets to speak next, Scott Morrison steps up: | |
| Three things, safety net, second, a big stick to keep the big companies in line and thirdly, backing investment in new generation through the recommendations of the ACCC. | |
| The “big stick” to power companies has been revealed: | |
| We will introduce significant new powers so as the ACCC can step in where there has been abuse or misuse of market power. In the most [serious] cases of abuse, 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 we had enough gas in eastern Australia, but you know, breaking up, market concentration by ordering the separation of integrated companies, yes, it is a power of last resort, but it’s necessary to have it available and we’ll make sure that the government and the ACCC has the strongest tools with all of the appropriate safeguards. | |
| How do you spell capitulation? #auspol #NEG | |
| It’s all building to removing the emissions targets. | |
| Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| 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. | |
| Now, rising electricity prices is causing families to stress 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 and you remember we brought in all the retailers to ensure 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, as you know, with the national energy guarantee. Now, 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 welcomed, but we have to continue the work to drive down prices. | |
| He opens on the national energy guarantee | |
| 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 we’ll continue to do. | |
| It looks like he is removing all emissions targets from the Neg. | |
| The Greens officially have a new senator: | |
| An honour to welcome @MehreenFaruqi to our #Greens team. pic.twitter.com/AWwKyEcSE7 | |
| And a reminder that Larissa Waters will be back next month. | |
| Peter Dutton is still the home affairs minister, so Shayne Neumann has responded to this story, with this statement: (just a reminder as you read this, that last week Labor voted with the government on Dutton’s bill to reverse the Ashmore reef decision through legislation: | Peter Dutton is still the home affairs minister, so Shayne Neumann has responded to this story, with this statement: (just a reminder as you read this, that last week Labor voted with the government on Dutton’s bill to reverse the Ashmore reef decision through legislation: |
| Labor is seriously concerned by reports regarding the health and welfare of children in the Australian-funded regional processing centre on Nauru. | Labor is seriously concerned by reports regarding the health and welfare of children in the Australian-funded regional processing centre on Nauru. |
| Peter Dutton has been the minister responsible for Australian-funded regional processing centres for over three-and-a-half years and must immediately address his ongoing failures. | Peter Dutton has been the minister responsible for Australian-funded regional processing centres for over three-and-a-half years and must immediately address his ongoing failures. |
| Today, Labor has written to Peter Dutton again, urging him to accept New Zealand’s offer to resettle eligible refugees from Manus and Nauru – so that they, including children, are resettled as quickly as possible. | Today, Labor has written to Peter Dutton again, urging him to accept New Zealand’s offer to resettle eligible refugees from Manus and Nauru – so that they, including children, are resettled as quickly as possible. |
| Nauru and Manus Island were set up as temporary regional processing centres but have become places of indefinite detention because of the out-of-touch Turnbull government’s failure to negotiate other third-country resettlement options. | Nauru and Manus Island were set up as temporary regional processing centres but have become places of indefinite detention because of the out-of-touch Turnbull government’s failure to negotiate other third-country resettlement options. |
| Labor strongly believes that medical transfers for refugees and children in Australian-funded offshore regional processing centres should be made available when a treatment is not available on island and where treatment is recommended by appropriate medical practitioners. | Labor strongly believes that medical transfers for refugees and children in Australian-funded offshore regional processing centres should be made available when a treatment is not available on island and where treatment is recommended by appropriate medical practitioners. |
| If the Turnbull government was able to negotiate appropriate conditions for the US refugee resettlement agreement to prevent people smugglers exploiting vulnerable people, they should be able to negotiate similar appropriate conditions for any deal with New Zealand. | If the Turnbull government was able to negotiate appropriate conditions for the US refugee resettlement agreement to prevent people smugglers exploiting vulnerable people, they should be able to negotiate similar appropriate conditions for any deal with New Zealand. |
| It has been 16 months since the report of the Labor-initiated Senate inquiry following the leaked Nauru files and Peter Dutton has failed to act on these reasonable recommendations to address concerns held by the wider Australian community. | It has been 16 months since the report of the Labor-initiated Senate inquiry following the leaked Nauru files and Peter Dutton has failed to act on these reasonable recommendations to address concerns held by the wider Australian community. |
| Peter Dutton’s unwillingness to implement, or even respond to, the recommendations set out in the report is unreasonable and irresponsible – especially when it comes to the health and welfare of refugees and children. | Peter Dutton’s unwillingness to implement, or even respond to, the recommendations set out in the report is unreasonable and irresponsible – especially when it comes to the health and welfare of refugees and children. |
| If Peter Dutton is too distracted by his leadership ambitions to address his failure to manage Australian-funded regional processing centres or negotiate other third-country resettlement options, it’s time for Malcolm Turnbull to step in and clean up his minister’s mess. | If Peter Dutton is too distracted by his leadership ambitions to address his failure to manage Australian-funded regional processing centres or negotiate other third-country resettlement options, it’s time for Malcolm Turnbull to step in and clean up his minister’s mess. |
| The press conference Murph just mentioned is to be held in the Blue Room - which, as regular readers of Politics Live would know, is the second most fancy of the ‘serious’ press conference locations at Parliament House. | The press conference Murph just mentioned is to be held in the Blue Room - which, as regular readers of Politics Live would know, is the second most fancy of the ‘serious’ press conference locations at Parliament House. |
| Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg will be joining the Malcolm Turnbull at the press conference. We can expect at least two flags. | Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg will be joining the Malcolm Turnbull at the press conference. We can expect at least two flags. |
| The conventional wisdom currently circulating in the building | The conventional wisdom currently circulating in the building |
| Just a quick snapshot of where things are said to be at. I say said to be at because in this environment, things can and do change quickly. | Just a quick snapshot of where things are said to be at. I say said to be at because in this environment, things can and do change quickly. |
| We expect the PM to speak to reporters at 10am. The Coalition party room meeting, due tomorrow, has not been brought forward as yet (so whatever the PM announces is in advance of that procedural sign off). | We expect the PM to speak to reporters at 10am. The Coalition party room meeting, due tomorrow, has not been brought forward as yet (so whatever the PM announces is in advance of that procedural sign off). |
| People expect that the PM will unveil the package to lower power prices. Along with the price components, several of my contacts are telling me the package could include a power to force AGL to divest the Liddell coal plant. There is also some talk that the emissions component of the national energy guarantee will be junked altogether – but I stress this is what’s circulating in the building, rather than something I can, at this point, absolutely confirm. | People expect that the PM will unveil the package to lower power prices. Along with the price components, several of my contacts are telling me the package could include a power to force AGL to divest the Liddell coal plant. There is also some talk that the emissions component of the national energy guarantee will be junked altogether – but I stress this is what’s circulating in the building, rather than something I can, at this point, absolutely confirm. |
| As they say in our business, more to come. | As they say in our business, more to come. |