Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Brandis, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Yesterday the minister told the Senate:

… what the Turnbull government is committed to doing is to put the climate wars behind us …

Reports today revealed that approximately 30 coalition MPs fought against support for the Finkel review in yesterday's coalition party room, with 10 MPs vehemently opposed to a push away from coal-fired power and about 20 MPs expressing serious misgivings. Isn't it clear that the climate wars the minister referred to are in fact being waged within the coalition party room?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will come to the question, but I should say how nice it is to see Senator Farrell in the leader's chair. It's good to see a good old grouper in charge of the show! It could be back in the 1950s with the DLP in the front row and the two old commos behind him—but anyway! There they are, Statler and Waldorf over there!

Senator Cormann interjecting—

As Senator Cormann wisely interjects, we should not believe everything we read in the newspapers—unless, of course, it is NewsWeekly; I am sure, Senator Farrell, you and I would both believe everything we read in NewsWeekly! I actually happened to be at that meeting yesterday afternoon.

Senator Farrell interjecting—

I am about to tell you what happened. I will tell you precisely what happened. We had a very good and intelligent discussion about the Finkel report. That is what we had. My colleague and friend Josh Frydenberg, the Minister for the Environment and Energy, gave a very detailed presentation complete with a slide show explaining the conclusions and the analysis of the Finkel report, and then we had quite a long meeting in which a number of colleagues asked questions about the Finkel report and made some observations about it. And that is the way we do policy in the coalition.

First of all, we find out what the evidence is. Then we engage the relevant experts. Then we publish their findings. Then we have a discussion about the matter so that all members of the coalition party room, representing all the different parts of Australia, can have their views heard. That is precisely what we did. It was an extremely useful exercise. I even learned some things that I did not know before, and I am delighted we had such a good discussion.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a supplementary question?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you; I have a supplementary question. One coalition MP referred to yesterday's party room meeting as 'a slaughter', with another suggesting that it had 'shades of 2009 about it'. Is the Prime Minister concerned that ideologues on the far Right of his party room will again depose him, or will he yet again simply roll over to their demands?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not in the least. Not even slightly. What the Prime Minister is concerned to do and what he did last night was to chair a useful, constructive discussion led by Mr Frydenberg, who is a very accomplished expert in this field, based on the Finkel report, which was prepared by Australia's Chief Scientist—not, by the way, at the request of this government but at the request of COAG, of governments of both political persuasions, of all the governments of Australia. And we had a discussion about the Finkel report. Questions were asked of Mr Frydenberg by a number of colleagues. A number of different perspectives were brought to bear. Many people spoke and, as a result of that discussion, everyone in the room, I would make bold to say, felt they had a better understanding of the issues than they had when they began. That is the way the policy of the coalition— (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a final supplementary question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This morning Treasurer Morrison told the ABC that linking the party room debate to the Prime Minister's leadership is premature. So when will it be time to discuss the Prime Minister's leadership? Is next week too soon?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, what we saw last night from the Prime Minister was all about leadership—it was all about the Prime Minister leading the coalition in an intelligent, fully informed debate about a very difficult policy area which your side of politics has squibbed for years. Let us not forget, Senator Farrell, that you have proposed these unachievable emissions reduction targets with no plan, no policy whatsoever, to show how Australia will get there. We, in the coalition, are committed to resolving the 'trilemma' of affordable prices, security of supply and fidelity to our international commitments. We can do all three at once and, in making the policy choices we have to make, we will be informed by the wisdom of Dr Finkel.