This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/20/liberal-party-self-destructing-national-energy-guarantee-malcolm-turnbull-what-you-need-to-know
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| The Liberal party is self-destructing over energy. Here's what you need to know | The Liberal party is self-destructing over energy. Here's what you need to know |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| “It’s a very fluid situation.” | “It’s a very fluid situation.” |
| That’s how one of the government’s own senators, Jim Molan, described the Coalition’s energy policy on Monday. | That’s how one of the government’s own senators, Jim Molan, described the Coalition’s energy policy on Monday. |
| He was, it’s safe to say, being generous. | He was, it’s safe to say, being generous. |
| Canberra's deranged circus of wreckers are now writing our future | Canberra's deranged circus of wreckers are now writing our future |
| The Turnbull government’s position on the national energy guarantee has flipped and flopped with remarkable tempo, even by the lowly standards of modern parliament. | The Turnbull government’s position on the national energy guarantee has flipped and flopped with remarkable tempo, even by the lowly standards of modern parliament. |
| Cast your mind back a mere week, and you’ll remember that Malcolm Turnbull was standing in parliament alongside the energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, beaming as he announced the Coalition party room had fully supported his energy policy. Now, he’s been forced into an embarrassing capitulation. | Cast your mind back a mere week, and you’ll remember that Malcolm Turnbull was standing in parliament alongside the energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, beaming as he announced the Coalition party room had fully supported his energy policy. Now, he’s been forced into an embarrassing capitulation. |
| So how on earth did we get here? We’ve compiled this handy explainer to help get you up to speed. | So how on earth did we get here? We’ve compiled this handy explainer to help get you up to speed. |
| What’s this all about? | What’s this all about? |
| Energy policy has been a constant kryptonite for modern Australian governments. The politicisation of energy and climate has dealt huge damage to Labor’s Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, and now Turnbull on the Coalition side. | Energy policy has been a constant kryptonite for modern Australian governments. The politicisation of energy and climate has dealt huge damage to Labor’s Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, and now Turnbull on the Coalition side. |
| Ostensibly, the current fight is about Turnbull’s own national energy guarantee, a policy originally designed to give certainty to the energy market while driving a reduction in emissions. | Ostensibly, the current fight is about Turnbull’s own national energy guarantee, a policy originally designed to give certainty to the energy market while driving a reduction in emissions. |
| Turnbull hoped the policy could win a broad consensus, including the most conservative within his party, business groups, and possibly Labor. It was always going to be a tough ask. The policy required the support of the Coalition party room, needed to win votes on the floors of the lower house and Senate, and secure the agreement of state and territory governments. That all seems rather remote now. | Turnbull hoped the policy could win a broad consensus, including the most conservative within his party, business groups, and possibly Labor. It was always going to be a tough ask. The policy required the support of the Coalition party room, needed to win votes on the floors of the lower house and Senate, and secure the agreement of state and territory governments. That all seems rather remote now. |
| Malcolm Turnbull says Peter Dutton has given him 'absolute support' | Malcolm Turnbull says Peter Dutton has given him 'absolute support' |
| Why has parliament devolved into a circus? | Why has parliament devolved into a circus? |
| The current leadership ructions have deep roots. Personality, policy, and ideology all play a role, and the fight over the Neg has again highlighted the Abbott-Turnbull split that has simmered since the 2015 spill – and was present well before that, given that Abbott rolled Turnbull as party leader in 2009, also over emissions. The current crisis facing Turnbull began last week, when he took the Neg to the Coalition party room. The party room voted in favour of the policy. But a group of conservative MPs remained staunchly opposed. | The current leadership ructions have deep roots. Personality, policy, and ideology all play a role, and the fight over the Neg has again highlighted the Abbott-Turnbull split that has simmered since the 2015 spill – and was present well before that, given that Abbott rolled Turnbull as party leader in 2009, also over emissions. The current crisis facing Turnbull began last week, when he took the Neg to the Coalition party room. The party room voted in favour of the policy. But a group of conservative MPs remained staunchly opposed. |
| The focal point for their anger was the proposal to legislate Australia’s 26% emissions reduction target, a commitment Abbott made as prime minister when he signed up to the Paris climate agreement. Abbott was the most vocal opponent, releasing a statement after the joint party room meeting on Tuesday that asked: “When the big emitters are not meeting Paris, why should we?” | The focal point for their anger was the proposal to legislate Australia’s 26% emissions reduction target, a commitment Abbott made as prime minister when he signed up to the Paris climate agreement. Abbott was the most vocal opponent, releasing a statement after the joint party room meeting on Tuesday that asked: “When the big emitters are not meeting Paris, why should we?” |
| A group of MPs threatened to cross the floor of the lower house. You’ll remember Turnbull only has a one-seat majority. He and his key backers put their efforts last week into trying to reduce the number of MPs who could cross the floor. Too significant a revolt would constitute a loss of confidence in his leadership. | A group of MPs threatened to cross the floor of the lower house. You’ll remember Turnbull only has a one-seat majority. He and his key backers put their efforts last week into trying to reduce the number of MPs who could cross the floor. Too significant a revolt would constitute a loss of confidence in his leadership. |
| In a bid to quell the unrest, Turnbull announced late last week that he would no longer legislate the emissions reduction target, but would instead implement it via regulation. This backfired spectacularly. Abbott and co were unlikely ever to be placated. They said the change would simply allow Labor to increase the target by changing the regulation (which does not require a vote in parliament) if it took office. That leads us to today. | In a bid to quell the unrest, Turnbull announced late last week that he would no longer legislate the emissions reduction target, but would instead implement it via regulation. This backfired spectacularly. Abbott and co were unlikely ever to be placated. They said the change would simply allow Labor to increase the target by changing the regulation (which does not require a vote in parliament) if it took office. That leads us to today. |
| Where are we now? | Where are we now? |
| Turnbull’s leadership was under serious threat when MPs and senators flew into Canberra last night. The Coalition held an emergency meeting on energy policy. | Turnbull’s leadership was under serious threat when MPs and senators flew into Canberra last night. The Coalition held an emergency meeting on energy policy. |
| There were reports that Dutton, the home affairs minister, was approached and urged to run against Turnbull. | There were reports that Dutton, the home affairs minister, was approached and urged to run against Turnbull. |
| Politicians must set aside blinkered ideologies in the climate end-game | David Spratt and Ian Dunlop | Politicians must set aside blinkered ideologies in the climate end-game | David Spratt and Ian Dunlop |
| Turnbull’s response? A capitulation. On Monday morning, he used a press conference to announce huge changes to the Neg. There would be no inclusion of an emissions reduction target, either through regulation or legislation. “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,” he said. The changes to the Neg were made without Labor having formed a position. | Turnbull’s response? A capitulation. On Monday morning, he used a press conference to announce huge changes to the Neg. There would be no inclusion of an emissions reduction target, either through regulation or legislation. “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,” he said. The changes to the Neg were made without Labor having formed a position. |
| Labor seized on the news. | Labor seized on the news. |
| Bill Shorten labelled Turnbull the “white flag prime minister” and said the Coalition “can’t agree on anything between breakfast and lunchtime”. Shorten told Turnbull he was happy to talk about energy policy. “I say to Malcolm, you have my number, we are down the hall from you, on other issues we have worked together,” he said. | Bill Shorten labelled Turnbull the “white flag prime minister” and said the Coalition “can’t agree on anything between breakfast and lunchtime”. Shorten told Turnbull he was happy to talk about energy policy. “I say to Malcolm, you have my number, we are down the hall from you, on other issues we have worked together,” he said. |
| Where to from here? | Where to from here? |
| Turnbull says the Neg remains Coalition policy, albeit in its wildly different form. He wants to give the ACCC greater powers to crack down on the abuse of the market by electricity companies. Divestiture powers would then be used, in rare circumstances, to punish those not meeting expected power prices. The ultimate aim would be to bring down prices for consumers. | Turnbull says the Neg remains Coalition policy, albeit in its wildly different form. He wants to give the ACCC greater powers to crack down on the abuse of the market by electricity companies. Divestiture powers would then be used, in rare circumstances, to punish those not meeting expected power prices. The ultimate aim would be to bring down prices for consumers. |
| In reality, the Neg as we knew it is dead. It could only safely pass the lower house with Labor’s support. That’s simply not tenable for Turnbull’s leadership. | In reality, the Neg as we knew it is dead. It could only safely pass the lower house with Labor’s support. That’s simply not tenable for Turnbull’s leadership. |
| This entire episode has significant ramifications for the prime minister. To the public, he looks weak, particularly given he claimed in 2009 that he would “not lead a party that is not as committed to effective action on climate change as I am”. | This entire episode has significant ramifications for the prime minister. To the public, he looks weak, particularly given he claimed in 2009 that he would “not lead a party that is not as committed to effective action on climate change as I am”. |
| Coalition dives in the polls as leadership speculation swirls | Coalition dives in the polls as leadership speculation swirls |
| Internally, he is exposed. His opponents within the party will feel emboldened. | Internally, he is exposed. His opponents within the party will feel emboldened. |
| They have succeeded in forcing Turnbull into a significant backdown. Will they test him on other areas? | They have succeeded in forcing Turnbull into a significant backdown. Will they test him on other areas? |
| Barnaby Joyce was asked what Turnbull stood for on Monday. He responded: “What he’s shown is his capacity to listen.” | Barnaby Joyce was asked what Turnbull stood for on Monday. He responded: “What he’s shown is his capacity to listen.” |
| Fellow “rebel” George Christensen took a similar line: “We have a new energy policy thanks to a band of ‘Liberal National rebels’ who stood firm and fought for common sense.” | Fellow “rebel” George Christensen took a similar line: “We have a new energy policy thanks to a band of ‘Liberal National rebels’ who stood firm and fought for common sense.” |
| There is still pressure on Turnbull’s leadership. Queensland LNP president, Gary Spence, is still urging MPs to support Dutton. That’s not overly consequential, but it does show there is still open opposition to his leadership within the broader party. | There is still pressure on Turnbull’s leadership. Queensland LNP president, Gary Spence, is still urging MPs to support Dutton. That’s not overly consequential, but it does show there is still open opposition to his leadership within the broader party. |
| Liberal party | Liberal party |
| National energy guarantee | National energy guarantee |
| Malcolm Turnbull | Malcolm Turnbull |
| Tony Abbott | Tony Abbott |
| Energy (Australia news) | Energy (Australia news) |
| Energy (Environment) | Energy (Environment) |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| features | features |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |