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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| New head for Australia opposition | New head for Australia opposition |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Australia's opposition Liberal Party has elected a new leader, amid a searing row over the government's carbon trading laws. | Australia's opposition Liberal Party has elected a new leader, amid a searing row over the government's carbon trading laws. |
| Tony Abbott was chosen to replace Malcolm Turnbull at a Canberra meeting. | Tony Abbott was chosen to replace Malcolm Turnbull at a Canberra meeting. |
| Mr Turnbull had backed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's emissions trading scheme, but Mr Abbott has vowed to oppose it. | Mr Turnbull had backed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's emissions trading scheme, but Mr Abbott has vowed to oppose it. |
| The government needs the support of the Liberals to pass the legislation in the Senate. The Liberal revolt throws Mr Rudd's plans into turmoil. | The government needs the support of the Liberals to pass the legislation in the Senate. The Liberal revolt throws Mr Rudd's plans into turmoil. |
| Mr Abbott won the final vote against Mr Turnbull by 42 votes to 41. A third challenger, Joe Hockey, was eliminated in first-round voting. | Mr Abbott won the final vote against Mr Turnbull by 42 votes to 41. A third challenger, Joe Hockey, was eliminated in first-round voting. |
| Mr Rudd had wanted the legislation to pass the Senate - where his party does not have a majority - by the start of the Copenhagen climate change summit next week. | Mr Rudd had wanted the legislation to pass the Senate - where his party does not have a majority - by the start of the Copenhagen climate change summit next week. |
| If the Senate fails to pass the scheme - as now looks likely - Mr Rudd could call a snap election, correspondents say. | |
| Per capita emissions | |
| The emissions trading scheme (ETS), aimed at reducing Australia's carbon footprint, is the centrepiece of the government's environmental strategy. | |
| Mr Rudd wants to cut Australia's carbon emissions by up to 25% from 2000 levels by 2020. | |
| But some opposition politicians question the scientific case for global warming and the energy lobby says the move would damage Australia's economy. | |
| Australia has the highest per capita carbon emissions among developed nations and coal is its biggest export. |