07.03 pm, Wednesday February 10 2010

Gillard urges Libs to honour CPRS deal

18:48 AEST Fri Nov 27 2009
By Colin Brinsden
VIEWS: 0
| FLOCKS: 0
| comments0 comments so far
Nick Xenophon
Senator Nick Xenophon doesn't think the emissions trading scheme will pass the senate on Friday.

Julia Gillard expects the Liberals to honour their agreement on the government's carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) on Monday, whoever is in charge of the embattled opposition party.

The acting prime minister says the government is giving opposition senators another chance to pass the draft laws on Monday, when the lower house will also be holding a special sitting from 10am (AEDT) on Monday.

"This is an agreement with the Liberal Party," Ms Gillard told reporters on Friday.

Monday may also see the showdown for the Liberal leadership, when Tony Abbott, who resigned his frontbench position on Thursday, may challenge Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey may also be in the running.

Friday's agreed 3.45pm deadline for the Senate to pass the negotiated legislation, which provides additional support for the coal and electricity sectors, passed by, with only 10 per cent of amendments debated.

"It is deeply, deeply disappointing that the Liberal Party has not today honoured that agreement and brought the debate in the Senate to a conclusion," Ms Gillard said.

She said the government remained "absolutely committed" to securing the passage of the CPRS and would be turning up on Monday to act in the nation's interest and expects the Liberal Party to do the same.

"If they fail to do so it will be clear they have been conquered by the sceptics and deniers in their ranks," she said.

She said Mr Turnbull had shown "great courage and great determination" over the issue that was openly supported by Mr Hockey earlier this month, and that a commitment to tackle climate change was also made by former prime minister John Howard at the last election.

The government needs support from seven Liberal senators to pass the legislation.

The Nationals, Greens and the two independents will not be backing the scheme.

Climate Change Minister Senator Penny Wong, at Ms Gillard's side, said the Senate has had more than enough time already to pass the deal.

Liberal senator Nick Minchin, who resigned his position as leader of the Senate on Thursday, said Labor's accusation that the coalition was filibustering the CPRS debate was "false and misleading".

"The CPRS legislation represents significant intervention in the Australian economy and the package of 11 bills deserves nothing short of thorough scrutiny in the Senate," Senator Minchin said in a statement after the upper house adjourned.

"Labor's claims that some 15 hours of questioning of the minister on these eleven bills is excessive are very misleading and confirm Labor's desire for this legislation to be rammed through the Senate even though there are considerable amendments that have been in the public domain for less than three days."

Labor's leader in the Senate, Chris Evans laid into the opposition, particularly Senator Minchin, as Friday's business drew to a close.

"I suspect that Senator Minchin will get his way and achieve the policy outcome he sought from the start, which is to delay and defer," Senator Evans told the upper chamber.

"To put it off to beyond Copenhagen, to beyond any concerns about a double dissolution (election), to beyond any chance of this nation taking action on climate change."

Ms Gillard would not directly answer questions about a double-dissolution election of parliament if the CPRS legislation fails for a second time.

"We are not focused on anything other than delivering the carbon pollution reduction scheme through the parliament into Australian law, in the national interest and in accordance with our agreement with the Liberal Party," she said.

 
SHARE:
MESSENGER
FACEBOOK
MORE
Blog on Spaces
Add to delicious
Add to Digg
Share on MySpace
?
Share, bookmark, and save your favourite ninemsn articles and features.  Learn more.

Most popular

 Medical student in horror gas explosionA doctor in training remains in a critical condition after an explosion in his Wangaratta unit.
 Son lured his mother to her death: courtA mother was lured to her murder by a son she loved, a South Australian court has been told.
 First-day employee foils armed robberAn attempted armed robbery ended in comical fashion last week when a trainee employee told the gunman he didn't know how to open the cash register.
 Obsessed teacher took her top off for boyA British teacher who took her top off in front of a 15-year-old boy she was obsessed with is facing jail.
 Darwin man fined over sex at petrol bowserA Darwin man busted having sex at the bowser at a petrol station has walked free from court.
 Daughter 'misses' mum she killedA British woman who brutally murdered her mother two years ago now wishes she was still alive.
 Kerr rules winter collection catwalkMiranda Kerr ruled the runway at David Jones' launch of the Autumn/Winter 2010 Australian designers' collections - even directing the snappers in the media pit.
 TV reporter's stalker had more victimsUS prosecutors say the man who stalked a cable TV sports reporter and shot nude videos of her through a hotel room peephole also videotaped 16 other women.
 Teen, 15, drove mum's car in fatal crashSydney police are trying find out how a 15-year-old unlicensed driver was able to get behind the wheel of his mother's car and cause a fatal accident.
 Man dies after fall from rooftop poolA young Sydney man has died after falling over a rooftop terrace wall and plummeting two floors during an early morning swim, police say.
AC/DC Lane in Melbourne. (Sean Cusick, ninemsn)AC/DC shrine PHOTOS: Fans to lure rock legends to Melbourne laneway. Page 3 model Rhian Sugden. (Getty Images)'Too explicit'Married UK TV host admits racy tweet with famous model. Salt-n-Pepa members.Less spicySalt-n-Pepa not keen to talk about sex during Australia tour. The man, named as Evans Monsigrace, told doctors at a University of Miami field hospital in Port-au-Prince that he had been buried by the quake while cooking rice.Survival mysteryA Haitian man allegedly survived 27 days buried in rubble. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. (AAP)Stars strike backAngelina Jolie and Brad Pitt sue tabloid over divorce report. A snowman almost killed a toddler on holiday. (AAP - file)Holiday horrorBritish toddler crushed by giant snowman lucky to be alive.
advertisement
Mass recall Toyota is pulling from the road Priuses sold in Australia since July 2009 ... read more Not from China The Federal Government has rejected reports army uniforms will be made overseas ... read more 'Still in its jaws' Searchers shoot dead alligator that killed an 11-year-old girl in northern Brazil ... read more Behind the scenes Peter Overton takes us on a tour of the brand new Nine News studio ... watch more Jackson charges Michael Jackson's doctor charged with involuntary manslaughter over the pop star's death ... read more Soft drink cancer link People drinking two sugary soft drinks a day have increased risk of pancreatic cancer ... read more Become a Nine News breaker Seen or heard something? Send tip-offs, images and video from your mobile or PC ... contact us
Shackled and buriedSA mother lured to her death by son over $6m fortune, court hears
You need the latest version of Flash Player.
Enjoy the most vivid content on the web
Watch video without extra features
Interact with applications on your favourite sites
Upgrade now

page complete
Other ninemsn businesses: iSelect RateCity
© 1997-2010 ninemsn Pty Ltd - All rights reserved