The Liberals once tried to build a big tent to include a range of political positions. Recent conflicts over energy, same-sex marriage and euthanasia show this is no longer sustainable.
With Victoria the main obstacle, Frydenberg said: ‘It’s time Daniel Andrews stopped walking both sides of the street and put the interests of Victorians first and the businesses of Victorians first.’
Lukas Coch/AAP
Tuesday’s party room mood reflected the sense most Coalition MPs have that to save marginal seats and give the government its best chance of survival, they need to unite behind Turnbull.
Both Abbott and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce have flagged they could cross the floor on the emissions reduction legislation.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
The Coalition party room on Tuesday is set for a high stakes, quite personal battle between Abbott and Turnbull over the NEG, with former and current prime ministers shaping up on Monday.
To make a concession to the coal lobby would flout the technology-neutral foundation of the NEG and have much more serious implications than throwing in some money to boost the GST pool.
Abbott played down the importance of the government’s much-vaunted tax cuts in comparison with the implications of energy policy.
Daniel Pockett/AAP
Delivering the Bob Carter Commemorative Lecture in Melbourne, Abbott said: “Withdrawing from the Paris agreement that is driving the NEG would be the best way to keep prices down and employment up”
Before the Coalition party room meeting Abbott had again publicly left the way open to cross the floor when legislation comes to parliament, assuming Frydenberg gets a deal at the COAG Energy Council in August.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Malcolm Turnbull and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg had clear Coalition party room support on Tuesday to decisively stare down a fresh sortie by Tony Abbott on the National Energy Guarantee.
The survey revealed 84% support for renewable energy among the Australian public.
AAP Image/Lukas Coch
The latest annual survey from the Lowy Institute shows that 59% of Australians support strong climate action, and 84% want the government to embrace renewable energy even if it’s more expensive.
Politicians meddling in the history curriculum is nothing new, and it holds back progress in how history is taught.
Peter Rae/AAP
Australia has been having the same disagreement about what and how history should be taught. We need to move on and listen to the evidence so our children have the best history education possible.
Tony Abbott launches Pauline Hanson’s book at Parliament House in Canberra.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Tony Abbott’s supporters are derided as delusional conservatives, but they have immense political impact and are determined to bring down Malcolm Turnbull.
Turnbull and his ministers confronted the bad poll day head on.
Brendan Esposito/AAP
With the fateful 30th Newspoll finally out there, the government on Monday descended into an orgy of destructive self-indulgence.
Abbott is
“pollie pedalling” in the Latrobe Valley, making sure he is best placed to exploit Turnbull’s pain over the Newspoll and his difficulty with the energy issue.
Luke Ascui/AAP
The Coalition trails 48-52%, compared with 47-53% a fortnight ago. The Australian reports it is only the second time since April last year that the government has come
Tony Abbott will be cycling through the Latrobe valley when the 30th Newspoll is released on Monday.
Lukas Coch/AAP
Many among the public will discount Abbott’s activities as just his usual trouble-making. The noise, however, reinforces the general impression of a fractured government.
Penelope and the Suitors, by J.W. Waterhouse (1912).
Wikimedia Commons
It may seem incredible that some 2,500 years since the Homeric epics, women are still silenced in public. But the myths of Archaic Greece resonate today in disturbing ways.
Backbenchers Craig Kelly and Tony Abbott are leading members of the new ‘Monash Forum’.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
The new pro-coal ‘Monash Forum’ follows in a rich political tradition of think tanks and pressure groups, all with names calculated to lend themselves maximum gravitas and a large dose of obfuscation.
When Tim Storer was sworn in he was escorted by the government and opposition Senate leaders.
Lukas Coch/AAP
Tim Storer has one hell of a decision to make shortly after the May budget, when the government plans to bring back its legislation to give tax cuts to big business.
Abbott and Hanson put their past behind them as he launched a book of her speeches at Parliament House.
Mick Tsikas/AAP