A former Liberal leader has urged Malcolm Turnbull to defy Tony Abbott in the party room over climate and energy policy, saying that by "drawing a line in the sand" he could deliver better policy and save his prime ministership.
In a searing assessment of the Coalition's chances of recovery, John Hewson told Fairfax Media that Mr Turnbull looked weak for failing to assert his past commitments on climate change, tax policy and marriage equality, and for refusing to call out Mr Abbott despite the growing absurdity of his arguments.
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| Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Photo: Andrew Meares |
He said Mr Abbott had adopted every position on climate change from "it being a significant issue to being crap".
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| Former Liberal leader John Hewson (pictured centre) says Malcolm Turnbull needs to stand up to Tony Abbott in the party room. Photo: Andrew Meares |
But he said while Mr Turnbull failed to implement a proper policy that drove new energy investment it would be Mr Abbott's attention-grabbing statements from the conservative right that would define the government to voters.
"It's a bit ironic but they [voters] elect governments to take the hard decisions and when you don't take them you look really weak," he said.
But a senior minister defended the Prime Minister's restrained handling of the Abbott-led climate insurgency, saying the policy, which is expected to go before cabinet within days or weeks, would aim to deliver reliability, affordability and to achieve emissions reductions consistent with Australia's Paris commitment as a by-product.
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| Former Liberal leader John Hewson. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen |
Labor has floated the idea of backing a clean energy target but is unlikely to support a policy that falls short of that mechanism.
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg hinted that the government will sidestep the final outstanding recommendation from chief scientist Alan Finkel for a clean energy target, in favour of a clutch of other measures.
However, Dr Hewson believes Mr Abbott is not Mr Turnbull's biggest problem, which is more the Prime Minister's reluctance to openly confront his predecessor.
He said Mr Turnbull should draw a line in the sand in the full knowledge that adopting a progressive clean energy target would spark a reaction from Mr Abbott and his small coterie of supporters.
He said Mr Abbott would "make a bit of noise" and there would be "a few that would back him", but ultimately mainstream voters would applaud a Prime Minister who stood up for his beliefs.
Dr Hewson said the alternative facing Mr Turnbull was to accept that his government would be defined as much by Mr Abbott as himself.
"How long do you want to sit back and be beaten up, because that's what Abbott's doing," he told Fairfax Media.
"Abbott's taking every opportunity, you know, day in, day out, to undermine Turnbull, it doesn't really matter what the issue is."
Dr Hewson who unsuccessfully led the Coalition to the 1993 election, said voters wanted to believe in the Turnbull government but needed to see the Prime Minister stand up to critics and stand up for its principles.
"It's time for Malcolm to just take a stand and I think the electorate is looking for him to show leadership on so many issues. I think the the electorate would cut him a lot of slack for doing so," he said.
Addressing a climate sceptics meeting in London on Monday, Mr Abbott railed against climate change dogma, suggesting it had done more harm to the world than global warming itself, which was probably a net benefit because more people died from cold snaps than heatwaves.
A former close ally of Mr Abbott, Mr Frydenberg rounded on his former boss's London comments.
"We take our advice from the scientific experts. We believe we need to reduce our emissions. That is why Tony Abbott signed up to the Paris agreement. I point out that, at the time, Tony Abbott said that the agreement Australia struck at Paris was a definite commitment and that it was economically responsible and environmentally responsible. They were Tony Abbott's words," he said.
But while Mr Turnbull was being urged to stand up to Mr Abbott, another longstanding MP, speaking on background, said Mr Abbott had a right to speak out because there was a multiplicity of views on climate change across the party and the community, and because, "there is always going to be a response when you tear down a first-term prime minister".
Links
- Tony Abbott says climate change 'could be beneficial' because people die in the cold
- 'I've learnt to speak my mind': 10 excerpts from Tony Abbott's climate change speech in London
- Transcript Of The Hon. Tony Abbott MP, Address To The Global Warming Policy Foundation, Westminster, London
- Why Tony Abbott looks forward to global warming: more beach days
- Once bitten, twice shy: why Malcolm Turnbull is cornered on climate change
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