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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2018/aug/20/turnbull-dutton-leadership-energy-nationals-politics-live
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| Bill Shorten calls Turnbull a 'white flag prime minister' – politics live | Bill Shorten calls Turnbull a 'white flag prime minister' – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 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,” Mr 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. | |
| Bill Shorten takes the mic again: | |
| We won’t give Malcolm Turnbull a blank cheque, and I don’t think that would be expected, but we would like to talk about energy prices, as long as it includes more renewable energy, lower prices and less pollution. | |
| We were willing to engage with the first idea of an emissions intensity scheme. Labor was prepared to compromise and engage on the 2017 plan, which was a clean energy target designed by the chief scientist. In 2018, we are prepared to discuss the latest policy, but I think in all fairness, if you know what his latest policy is could you let us know? He keeps changing his mind every day. The real problem is Mr Turnbull believes bipartisanship is when he can get the two wings of his own party to agree, he is not talking about us. I say to Malcolm, you have my number, we are down the hall from you, on other issues we have worked together. | |
| I’m not saying we will automatically agree that I’m willing to put as high party politics just to lower energy prices, to lower emissions and to have more renewable energy in the system.” | |
| Shorter version, you have my number, PM - call me, maybe? | Shorter version, you have my number, PM - call me, maybe? |
| Labor’s energy spokesman Mark Butler: | Labor’s energy spokesman Mark Butler: |
| I want to address a couple of comments the prime minister made in his press conference this morning. He talked about the Labor party’s ideas about this. We had a briefing scheduled for last Thursday. That briefing was cancelled by the government and after a number of times where we have tried to have that briefing rescheduled, we have heard nothing from the government at all. We have been up for a briefing to understand what it was Malcolm Turnbull was proposing that we have been rebuffed on a number of occasions since late last week in our attempts to sit down with a government and understand their latest proposals. | I want to address a couple of comments the prime minister made in his press conference this morning. He talked about the Labor party’s ideas about this. We had a briefing scheduled for last Thursday. That briefing was cancelled by the government and after a number of times where we have tried to have that briefing rescheduled, we have heard nothing from the government at all. We have been up for a briefing to understand what it was Malcolm Turnbull was proposing that we have been rebuffed on a number of occasions since late last week in our attempts to sit down with a government and understand their latest proposals. |
| Bill Shorten has stepped up to the microphone - and he is in front of a solar farm. | Bill Shorten has stepped up to the microphone - and he is in front of a solar farm. |
| Mr Turnbull has demonstrated that he is not the leader this nation needs. Real leadership is about fighting for the principles you believe in. Real leadership is about not always giving in to your enemies every time they disagree with you. Real leadership should be about putting lower pollution and lower prices at the forefront of energy policy. The problem is with Mr Turnbull, every time people who don’t like him and his party disagree with them, he gives up. | Mr Turnbull has demonstrated that he is not the leader this nation needs. Real leadership is about fighting for the principles you believe in. Real leadership is about not always giving in to your enemies every time they disagree with you. Real leadership should be about putting lower pollution and lower prices at the forefront of energy policy. The problem is with Mr Turnbull, every time people who don’t like him and his party disagree with them, he gives up. |
| From day one of his prime ministership we have seen the same pattern. Mr Turnbull has never seen a fight that he won’t give up his principles in order to keep his job. He is truly a white flag prime minister. | From day one of his prime ministership we have seen the same pattern. Mr Turnbull has never seen a fight that he won’t give up his principles in order to keep his job. He is truly a white flag prime minister. |
| And to complete our trifecta, the Nationals will hold a press conference at 1pm. | And to complete our trifecta, the Nationals will hold a press conference at 1pm. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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 only reading of that, is that this was done to appease Tony Abbott and his supporters. | The only reading of that, is that this was done to appease Tony Abbott and his supporters. |
| Linda Reynolds sort of confirmed this in her interview on Sky, although inadvertently: | Linda Reynolds sort of confirmed this in her interview on Sky, although inadvertently: |
| “Once we have a position that the whole party room is comfortable with then we can have a conversation with Labor.” | “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.... | Over in the Senate.... |
| Pauline Hanson went to debate this bill, which she links to below in her tweet. | 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 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | Take from that what you will. |
| Linda Reynolds is the next MP up on Sky: | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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: |