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Malcolm Turnbull drops emissions target from national energy guarantee – politics live Malcolm Turnbull drops emissions target from national energy guarantee – politics live
(35 minutes later)
Sky News is reporting the LNP party president, Gary Spence is urging MPs to support Peter Dutton. Bill Shorten is moments away from holding his press conference - before he steps up, here is what we know about the government negotiations with Labor about the Neg -they didn’t happen.
This is not new. Malcolm Turnbull is not popular in Queensland, and has never been overly popular with the rather conservative party executive leadership. The LNP is one official party in Queensland - so it is the Nationals and the Liberals in a formal one-party marriage, and Turnbull has never been their favourite. Not really. There was a briefing which was scheduled for last Thursday, and it was cancelled. It wasn’t re-scheduled, although Labor sources say it was asked for.
There has been reports of a breakdown in relations between the party HQ and the PMO for years, but Turnbull was given a warm welcome at the last state conference - which was held before the Longman byelection. Labor has not been asked about its voting intentions. So the government basically just pulled the Neg, based on not having the numbers, before checking to see if Labor would back it or not.
The LNP have blamed Turnbull for Longman, and for losing the state election in November last year (which saw Labor go from a minority government to a majority government in its own right), as it has watched voters turn to One Nation - and for those votes to return to Labor through preferences. The only reading of that, is that this was done to appease Tony Abbott and his supporters.
It’s not the most pure of responses - a lot of the One Nation voters were Labor voters, and the LNP has more issues in Queensland than just Malcolm Turnbull, chief among them that it is basically three states in one. Linda Reynolds sort of confirmed this in her interview on Sky, although inadvertently:
Longman has always been more of an Abbott LNP town than a Turnbull one - it was a photo of Wyatt Roy with Turnbull at the GQ awards which helped topple him at the 2016 election. “Once we have a position that the whole party room is comfortable with then we can have a conversation with Labor.”
Over in the Senate....
Pauline Hanson went to debate this bill, which she links to below in her tweet.
IMMIGRATION PLEBISCITE | The Senate is set to debate @PaulineHansonOz's Plebiscite (Future Migration Level) Bill 2018. #auspolBILL DETAILS https://t.co/72EwrrAtyShttps://t.co/ZhaFI3Q8Dm
That is part of private senators’ business, where One Nation had one hour and Labor had one hour, according to the roster. One Nation also had a bill from Peter Georgiou, so they wanted some extra time to discuss both.
One Nation moved to adjourn debate, so it could get to Hanson’s bill, without finishing its first debate, which received the support of the government.
So effectively, the government voted with Hanson to get the debate on our immigration levels up. Labor, the Greens, the crossbench and Fraser Anning, voted against the motion, defeating it, 32 to 31.
Take from that what you will.
Linda Reynolds is the next MP up on Sky:
We are doing all the right things, we are doing all the right things for the nation, but we are not cutting through.
She says that once the energy issue is settled in the party room, the government can move forward with spreading that message.
I believe that a leader is only as good as the team that he or she leads and I believe that all of colleagues share in the knowledge that disunity is death.
Sky News is reporting that Queensland LNP president, Gary Spence is urging MPs to support Peter Dutton.
This is not new. Malcolm Turnbull is not popular in Queensland, and has never been overly popular with the rather conservative party executive leadership. The LNP is one official party in Queensland – so it is the Nationals and the Liberals in a formal one-party marriage, and Turnbull has never been their favourite.
There has been reports of a breakdown in relations between the party HQ and the PMO for years, but Turnbull was given a warm welcome at the last state conference – which was held before the Longman byelection.
The LNP have blamed Turnbull for Longman, and for losing the state election in November last year (which saw Labor go from a minority government to a majority government in its own right), as it has watched voters turn to One Nation – and for those votes to return to Labor through preferences.
It’s not the most pure of responses – a lot of the One Nation voters were Labor voters, and the LNP has more issues in Queensland than just Malcolm Turnbull. Chief among these issues is that basically it is three states in one.
Longman has always been more of an Abbott LNP town than a Turnbull one – it was a photo of Wyatt Roy with Turnbull at the GQ awards which helped topple him at the 2016 election.
So the LNP leadership urging a shift towards Peter Dutton, who remains close with the executive, and whose fingerprints were on the Longman campaign, no matter what is publicly claimed, is not overly surprising to anyone who has been following Queensland politics.So the LNP leadership urging a shift towards Peter Dutton, who remains close with the executive, and whose fingerprints were on the Longman campaign, no matter what is publicly claimed, is not overly surprising to anyone who has been following Queensland politics.
“This is the politics of division that the Labor party runs, it is politics of envy, of jealousy,” Eric Abetz says about Labor’s position on company tax cuts, in the same interview he is giving after helping to lead a minority rebellion against his own party which has resulted in a complete capitulation on a policy we have spent most of the year discussing.“This is the politics of division that the Labor party runs, it is politics of envy, of jealousy,” Eric Abetz says about Labor’s position on company tax cuts, in the same interview he is giving after helping to lead a minority rebellion against his own party which has resulted in a complete capitulation on a policy we have spent most of the year discussing.
It should be noted though, that formal negotiations with Labor had not even begun on this bill.It should be noted though, that formal negotiations with Labor had not even begun on this bill.
And Julia Gillard, on the numbers, was one of the most productive prime ministers in history, while governing a minority government:And Julia Gillard, on the numbers, was one of the most productive prime ministers in history, while governing a minority government:
Julia Gillard had the highest rate of passing legislation with a rate of 0.495, followed by Bob Hawke at 0.491:Julia Gillard had the highest rate of passing legislation with a rate of 0.495, followed by Bob Hawke at 0.491:
A Labor insider just reminded me of this Christopher Pyne press release during the Gillard government years, in the wake of Malcolm Turnbull admitting that he doesn’t have the numbers to get government policy through the party room, let alone the House:A Labor insider just reminded me of this Christopher Pyne press release during the Gillard government years, in the wake of Malcolm Turnbull admitting that he doesn’t have the numbers to get government policy through the party room, let alone the House:
“If the government cannot control the parliament, it cannot run the country,” Pyne said.“If the government cannot control the parliament, it cannot run the country,” Pyne said.
And that is based on this from the parliamentary rule book:And that is based on this from the parliamentary rule book:
Withdrawal of confidence shown by defeat on other questionsWithdrawal of confidence shown by defeat on other questions
The withdrawal by the House of its confidence in the government may be shown:The withdrawal by the House of its confidence in the government may be shown:
By a direct vote of censure of or no confidence in the Government.By a direct vote of censure of or no confidence in the Government.
By defeat on an issue central to government policy or rejecting a legislative measure proposed by the government, the acceptance of which the government has declared to be of vital importance. Conversely, a vote by the House agreeing to a particular legislative measure or provision contrary to the advice and consent of the government could similarly be regarded as a matter of confidence. Following defeat a government may choose to resign, as in April and August 1904, 1929 and 1941 (see page 324), or to seek a direct vote of confidence.By defeat on an issue central to government policy or rejecting a legislative measure proposed by the government, the acceptance of which the government has declared to be of vital importance. Conversely, a vote by the House agreeing to a particular legislative measure or provision contrary to the advice and consent of the government could similarly be regarded as a matter of confidence. Following defeat a government may choose to resign, as in April and August 1904, 1929 and 1941 (see page 324), or to seek a direct vote of confidence.
By defeat of the government on a vote not necessarily central to government policy but accepted by the government as one of confidence, as in 1905, 1908, 1909 and 1931 (see page 324).By defeat of the government on a vote not necessarily central to government policy but accepted by the government as one of confidence, as in 1905, 1908, 1909 and 1931 (see page 324).
A very chipper Eric Abetz is on Sky News right now, thanking them for broadcasting the press conference, and saying what he has seen from the prime minister is closer to what he was thinking when he coined the phrase “pensioners before Paris”.A very chipper Eric Abetz is on Sky News right now, thanking them for broadcasting the press conference, and saying what he has seen from the prime minister is closer to what he was thinking when he coined the phrase “pensioners before Paris”.
There you have it – Abetz’s contribution to public debate. Pensioners before Paris. What an epitaph.There you have it – Abetz’s contribution to public debate. Pensioners before Paris. What an epitaph.
He says he hasn’t seen the detail yet though, so he will reserve his final judgement. Although he wants to see Paris dumped entirely. So, there is still that sticking point to keep this ticking over.He says he hasn’t seen the detail yet though, so he will reserve his final judgement. Although he wants to see Paris dumped entirely. So, there is still that sticking point to keep this ticking over.
Bill Shorten is due to hold a press conference with Mark Butler and Andrew Leigh at 11.45.Bill Shorten is due to hold a press conference with Mark Butler and Andrew Leigh at 11.45.
The Labor leader is headed off campus. The media has been advised to wear long pants and enclosed shoes, which is hard hat territory.The Labor leader is headed off campus. The media has been advised to wear long pants and enclosed shoes, which is hard hat territory.
Here was Tony Abbott this morning:Here was Tony Abbott this morning:
I am just interested in trying to ensure that Australians have the lowest possible power prices and that people’s jobs are safe. That is what I am interested in. What that means is that we stop running a power system to reduce emissions. That is the madness at the heart of all of our problems and this is why I am so determined that we get out of the Paris Agreement because, as long as we are in it, we will be running our power system to reduce emissions and not to give us affordable, reliable power.I am just interested in trying to ensure that Australians have the lowest possible power prices and that people’s jobs are safe. That is what I am interested in. What that means is that we stop running a power system to reduce emissions. That is the madness at the heart of all of our problems and this is why I am so determined that we get out of the Paris Agreement because, as long as we are in it, we will be running our power system to reduce emissions and not to give us affordable, reliable power.
So, the national energy guarantee is, as my colleague Gareth Hutchens just quipped, “Neg and buried”.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.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. In 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.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. In 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.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.
His last answer is on whether or not he has spoken to Peter Dutton: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.”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 it turns out, that, yes, he is prepared to lead that party.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 it turns out, that, yes, he is prepared to lead that party.
He responds with: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.”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.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: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.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.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.”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: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 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.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.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.