Latest news with #SussanLey
ABC News
an hour ago
- Business
- ABC News
Liberal dysfunction allows Labor to get away scot-free on emissions failure
One consequence of a broken, distracted and internally-focused opposition is that it gives the government leeway to do what it wants. Unencumbered. Add a thumping electoral majority to the mix and what might be considered confidence can easily morph into hubris. Labor is easily managing politically vexed problems while the dysfunction of the other side chews up endless column inches. And to be fair, the ongoing fracturing of the Coalition is indeed a compelling story. Australians voted for a House of Representatives in which as many as 110 seats out of 150 could broadly be categorised as "progressive". The remainder are conservative. That the Coalition would conclude from that result, as some conservatives loudly assert, that the answer is to veer even harder to the right by doubling down on culture wars is rather surprising. "Really? What voters really wanted was a culture war out on the right?" said former Liberal candidate and political consultant David Gazzard. "If only we'd had a big old dinger with right wing ideology they would have voted for us?" It's hard to shake the impression the Coalition continues to miss the May 3 memo from voters. Sussan Ley and David Littleproud — both perched atop the restive dragon tails of their respective party rooms — have determined that net zero needs to be debated, reviewed and potentially dumped. As one reader noted to this columnist, the whole scene is "like going to a party with old mates and realising you got your shit together and they're still on the bongs". While the Coalition figures out how to mature its energy and climate idea over the next six years — during which time the renewables rollout will continue to deepen — the real game is with the government and what it's doing and not doing to manage a series of tricky decision points. Nowhere is this more evident than Labor's move to green-light an extension to Woodside's North West shelf gas project. Given the backlash, Labor was politically canny to postpone its decision from the original deadline that would have coincided with the election. Seats the government nearly lost to climate action independents such as Fremantle in WA and Bean in the ACT would no doubt have fallen. Wills in Victoria might have gone to the Greens. Adam Bandt might still be in parliament. When it came on Wednesday, the project approval itself was no great surprise. Woodside has been jumping through existing state and federal regulatory and environmental hoops and clearing them for the best part of seven years. Manufacturing unions and WA's mining industry are delighted. Minerals Council of Australia chief Tania Constable told the ABC on Friday that future critical minerals rare earth production needs the gas at competitive prices to develop those resources. Murray Watt, who replaced Tanya Plibersek in the environment portfolio after the May 3 election, is pretty much the final rubber stamp. But by extending the operating licence for the NorthWest Shelf from 2030 to 2070, Woodside and its investment partners can now work to unlock the vast Browse Basin off the WA coast, which climate groups have branded a "carbon bomb". Watt has given Woodside until this coming week to agree to a number of final conditions. These likely relate mostly to the proximate impact on Indigenous rock art of industrial emissions released during liquefaction of gas for export. While relevant, such plant-level impacts are relatively minor. The emissions that really matter are those associated with the energy-intensive process of converting extracted gas into a liquefied form for export shipment. Alongside "fugitive emissions" from leaks and flaring, such energy use across the gas industry accounts for a significant portion of overall national emissions. Potentially up to 10 per cent a year, according to Climate Change Authority data. Critically for Labor, those "scope two" emissions don't come for free. They add to the nationwide pollution burden and they weigh on Australia's global reputation as a fossil fuel super polluter that exports "scope three" emissions at an industrial scale. Australia is about to ramp up its efforts in coming months to win hosting rights to next year's UN climate summit and younger voters continue to register alarm over the lack of urgency over climate action. All of this should be uncomfortable ground for Labor. Were the Liberals not still arguing about the basic entry-level proposition of whether net zero by 2050 should remain on their policy books, they might instead be squeezing the government over the North West shelf decision and its climate policy performance more broadly. Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen is currently awaiting advice from the Climate Change Authority on what the nation's 2035 emissions reduction target should be. Authority chairman Matt Kean — a former NSW Liberal treasurer and energy minister appointed by Labor nearly a year ago — is busy crunching the numbers on a proposed emissions target for 2035. The range the authority believes is consistent with Australia meeting its obligations to the Paris climate agreement (which seeks to limit global average temperature increases "to well below 2 degrees Celsius") would be an emissions cut of between 65 per cent and 75 per cent of the nation's level in 2005. That would extend the current 2030 target for a 43 per cent reduction. This column understands the Climate Change Authority's modelling does not currently include the impact from the Woodside extension or Browse, but that it will be significant. That work is being done now. For Bowen the yet-to-be answered question is how exactly this gets managed under his existing Safeguard Mechanism policy. A carrot and stick approach that aims to force down industrial and resources emissions in coming years, the mechanism works by penalising big polluters that fail to adopt low-emissions alternatives or by making them buy a limited pool of carbon offsets. Kean, who has plenty of experience in this space, will no doubt be urging Labor to make Woodside pay its own emissions bill rather than socialising the cost on the rest of the economy. Kean might indeed be telling Bowen that the company, which maintains an official "aspiration of net zero by 2050 or sooner", be required to source the energy it needs for its export operations from renewables rather than fossil fuels. That would be expensive. But so is decarbonising an entire economy. Watt does not appear to have put any such condition on Woodside, but that does not mean the issue now goes away. Labor is racing to pass its environmental protection legislation when parliament resumes next month. The Greens, whom Labor needs in the Senate, will again likely insist that climate impacts of big new projects like Browse be taken into consideration. Labor counters that its Safeguard Mechanism should be the primary policy of industrial emissions action. But Australians are yet to see firm evidence it's working as advertised. Indeed the government continues to whistle past the graveyard on national emissions. Official quarterly data released on Friday shows Australia's greenhouse gas reduction performance has tanked. Emissions inched lower last year by an essentially invisible 0.05 per cent to an estimated 446.4 million tonnes, the fourth year in a row that progress has stalled. To get emissions down to 350 million tonnes — the legislated 2030 target — will now require six straight years in which pollution falls by an average 3.6 per cent. A tall order, you might say. The reasons behind this weak performance are equally discouraging. Agricultural emissions fell 2 per cent last year because crop production declined. Energy emissions were up 2.2 per cent because lower hydro generation led to more reliance on coal power. Meanwhile transport was up 1.9 per cent as aviation consumption reached a record. The only good news was from industry, where emissions fell 5 per cent thanks to technology and production changes in chemicals and metals sectors. Labor's safeguard mechanism is "inadequate" for the challenges facing the nation because of emissions such as the NorthWest Shelf, warns Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Council, a group that campaigns against climate pollution. "There's no way to sequester those emissions," McKenzie says. "If you allow your fossil fuel sector to expand and you don't have tight enough targets in the safeguard that put pressure on those projects to cut emissions, then other sectors like agriculture and transport have to do more. "The idea that this is an offshore problem is entirely false because any fossil fuel project is using fossil fuels for export. "So we have to account for that climate pollution in Australia." It's a point the opposition might care to make. If it wasn't so busy toying with a world where doing nothing is the apparent answer.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Inside the brutal fallout of Sussan Ley dumping FOUR women from her cabinet - and fresh humiliation for the Greens after election disaster: PETER VAN ONSELEN
Ley sharpens her knife in shadow cabinet reshuffle So far as frontbench reshuffles go, Sussan Ley's decision - as the first female leader of the federal Liberal Party - to dump four women from the shadow cabinet was an interesting one.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘Clown show': Laura Tingle makes her real feelings clear as she lashes out at Coalition
Esteemed ABC political journalist Laura Tingle has lashed out at the Coalition, labelling the current state of it a 'clown show' of politicians. After a surprise split was initially announced last week, David Littleproud and Sussan Ley later backtracked and confirmed the Coalition would no longer be separating. In a blunt new interview, ABC's Laura Tingle, who is about to leave her role as the broadcaster's Political Editor, made her true feelings about the temporary split known. 'I can say this because I'm going, but I don't care,' Tingle told the ABC's Party Room podcast. 'I mean, like, seriously, these people are irrelevant for the next little while. They're a sideshow. They're a clown show. 'And the fact that their personal ambitions are just so blatantly out there (is) basically disgraceful, because we as taxpayers are paying for them to be looking after the interests of their voters in their electorates and to be looking after the national good.' The Coalition split last Tuesday after Littleproud said both parties were not able to agree on key policy matters However, he later revealed that those issues have now been resolved. Tingle went on to share that the Coalition 'deserves' to be in its 'current state of oblivion'. 'My sense is that the Coalition doesn't have any ideas, and it hasn't had any ideas for a really long time,' added the ABC star. Tingle's latest remarks come after she courted controversy last year when she had some choice words for Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton. She was on a panel at the Sydney Writers Festival when she said: 'We are a racist country, let's face it. We always have been and it's very depressing'. Her comments were in response to Dutton's budget reply pledge to slash Australia's permanent migration program to just 140,000 per year. She also accused him of encouraging racism towards migrants looking to buy or rent property in Australia during the discussion. Despite receiving some backlash for her comments, Tingle later doubled down on them in a follow-up statement. 'In my commentary at the ABC, and at the Sydney Writers' Festival, I expressed my concern at the risks involved in Peter Dutton pressing the hot button of housing and linking it to migration for these reasons,' she said. 'Political leaders, by their comments, give licence to others to express opinions they may not otherwise express. That does not make them racist. But it has real world implications for many Australians.' Meanwhile, after the week-long divide of the Coalition, David Littleproud and Sussan Ley briefly shared their thoughts on their time apart. 'I agree this is a professional partnership between two really strong parties in our Australian democracy that work very well when they work together,' she said, refusing to characterise their split as 'bitter'. 'Personally, David and I will be friends. I think a woman who got her start in the shearing sheds of western Queensland can always find something to talk about over a steak and a beer (with you, David)'.
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Sussan Ley's shadow cabinet reveal causes Coalition divide
Some Liberals are suggesting Sussan Ley has risked making enemies in unveiling her new shadow ministry. Conservatives who voted for the Opposition leader have expressed disappointment with her decision to demote those who voted against her leadership. According to The Australian, several Liberal members expected Jane Hume to be given a more junior role rather than being removed entirely from the frontbench. Other Coalition members have voiced their support for the Opposition leader's decision.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Natalie Barr asks Jane Hume if her demotion from the Liberal frontbench was 'payback' for her WFH policy
Dumped Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume has revealed she feels 'hurt' over her demotion but is preparing to 'straighten her tiara' and get on with the job. Appearing on Sunrise this morning, she has made her first public comments since her dumping emerged as the biggest shock of Liberal leader Sussan Ley's new frontbench. It followed a rocky campaign for Senator Hume who was seen as responsible for the loss of seats over her disastrous work from home policy that was dumped mid-campaign and her bizarre claim that Chinese spies were working at ALP polling booths. 'Do you think this was payback from Sussan Ley for the role you played in the work-from-home policy,'' Sunrise host Nat Barr asked this morning. 'Nat, if you're asking me whether I feel hurt or slighted by this move from Sussan, of course it hurts,'' Senator Hume said. 'It hurts professionally because I was a hard-working and prolific and high-profile member of the frontbench in the previous Opposition. 'It hurts personally, too, because you know, Sussan and I are friends. This isn't the playground. 'This is the Parliament. I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make a difference. I'm here to fight for the future of your kids, my kids, their kids for freedom and choice and personal responsibility and reward for effort and the importance of small business and the dangers of big government. 'I will continue to do that everyday from whatever position I am in. And, in fact, there is something very liberating about being on the backbench and being able to speak without having to stick to the party line and without having to stick to talking points. 'That's certainly going to make for much more interesting Sunrise interviews. So, you're very lucky, I think.' Senator Hume then outlined the advice her mum always gave her when she experienced turbulence in life. 'As my very wise mother would say, 'Stop your nonsense, chin up, chest out, straighten your tiara and let's get on with the job,'' she said. 'The most important thing we can all do here now is get behind Sussan Ley, put our shoulders to the wheel. Because there's a very big task ahead of us. Not only to win back the hearts and minds and votes of Australians but also to hold this terrible government to account and that's exactly what I am going to be doing everyday and every single one of my colleagues are going to be doing everyday.' It comes after Ms Ley shot down suggestions the decision to dump Senator Hume was a 'get square' for the moderate MP backing Angus Taylor. 'Absolutely not. I'm not going to reflect on the qualities of individuals with respect to the qualities of other individuals. I don't think that's a fair question,'' Ms Ley said. 'And I don't think the premise of it is reasonable. What I will repeat is that having spoken to every single member of my 54-member party room today, I know that we have harnessed the talent that we need in this shadow ministry going forward but that there is a role for every single person. 'Opposition is not about hierarchies. It's not about structure. It's about getting every player on the field, fighting the fight, because this is not about the internals you've spoken of. This is about how we go out there to work hard for the Australian people.' Deputy Liberal leader Ted O'Brien will take on the role of treasury spokesman while leadership aspirant Angus Taylor has been shifted from Shadow Treasurer to Defence. James Paterson has been promoted to the Coalition spokesman for finance, government services, and the public service. Future leadership aspirant Andrew Hastie, who had asked to move from defence into an economics or social services role, has been promoted to the spokesman for home affairs. Former Nationals leaders Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack have been hit with demotions from the frontbench. Ley lashed over decision to dump four women As the dust settles from the shake-up, Liberals have pointed out there are now fewer women in the shadow cabinet than under Peter Dutton. There are now eight women in a 27-strong shadow cabinet - an enormous frontbench given the dwindling size of the opposition ranks in Parliament. By comparison, there were 11 women in Mr Dutton's 23-strong shadow cabinet prior to the election of Sussan Ley although a large number of new faces have been promoted to the outer ministry. 'I feel for Jane Hume, she's just collateral damage,'' a Liberal MP and supporter of Angus Taylor in the leadership ballot said. But Senator Hume's position is particularly curious, because while Mr Taylor's group believes she voted for him in the secret ballot, Ms Ley's supporters insist the moderate voted for her. A similar mystery has emerged over exactly who Senator Hume has voted for in previous ballots leading to questions over her factional allegiances. A regular on Channel 7's Sunrise, she angered colleagues during the election over her claim 'Chinese spies' were working at voting booths for the ALP along with the work from home debacle. She also emerged in 2022 and in 2025 as a potential candidate for the deputy leadership. 'We think Jane did vote for Sussan. It's not a punishment,'' a supporter of Ms Ley said. But other MPs claim that there was a falling out between the two women, amid claims Senator Hume had accused Ms Ley's faction of backgrounding against her. Peter Dutton spotted on a commercial flight Meanwhile a video of former Liberal leader Peter Dutton on a Qantas flight has emerged. In the video posted on TikTok, Mr Dutton is spotted giving some serious side eye to the person filming him. The footage was posted by Australian singer and songwriter Miss Kaninna.
