Comment: Bullied by Clive Palmer, Tony Abbott’s government appears to have lost control of Senate

THE government has just had a huge setback on the carbon tax in the Senate. All because this bloke is pushing them around.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tour the Rio Tinto West Angelas iron ore mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia, Wednesday, July 9, 2014. Abe is in Australia on a four day official visit (AP Photo/Alan Porritt, Pool)

CLIVE Palmer is belting the Government around the Senate and Tony Abbott is looking vulnerable.

But far worse for him, he is looking impotent.

Mr Abbott, conqueror of Labor at the September election and massively dominant in the House of Representatives, is puny in the Senate.

Case in point, today’s defeat of the carbon tax repeal bill.

Mr Palmer’s senators have sided with Labor and the Greens to stop the carbon tax being repealed. They were joined by Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party’s Ricky Muir.

The repeal legislation will now have to go back to the House of Representatives, which does not sit until next week.

CARBON TAX REPEAL BILL GOES DOWN IN THE SENATE

The crossbenchers are going rogue and Clive Palmer has mobilised them. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Abbott is being bullied by a ragtag group of crossbench senators learning on the job but mobilised by Mr Palmer, a canny student of power politics.

um. wow.

— Scott Ludlam (@SenatorLudlam) July 10, 2014

When the Government wins a vote in the Upper House, Mr Palmer ensures he gets some of the credit.

When the Government loses a vote, Mr Palmer makes sure the Government gets all the blame.

Voters expect Governments to get things done and could quickly decide Mr Abbott simply can’t do his job should his agenda continue to be frustrated in the Senate.

Toast: The Prime Minister addresses guests during an official dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The domestic political front hasn’t been as forgiving. Picture: Getty Images

He doesn’t need that perception on top of hostility to his Budget.

“I guess I don’t need no introduction,” said Mr Palmer, clearly chuffed by events of the past two weeks, when he fronted reporters in Canberra today.

One of his achievements was what he called “a violent reaction” today from the Government over a Palmer United Party amendment to legislation dismantling Labor’s carbon pricing.

No amendment, no Government victory over Labor’s legacy.

Don’t smash the crockery! Victorian DLP Senator John Madigan, another influential crossbencher. Picture: news.com.au

Mr Palmer wants the law to say companies which do not pass to customers savings from removal of carbon pricing be fined 250 per cent of those savings.

This was one of the provisions — others included time limits for action — Mr Palmer said “stiffened” the initial amendment written by the Government. In short, he was arguing the Government was wishy-washy about protecting the interests of voters whereas he was a no-nonsense custodian.

“I trusted the Government ministers they would draft amendments that would express our concerns,” he said.

Clive Palmer wore his favourite flanno at a news conference today. Picture: News Corp Australia

But the outcome was a “white wash”: “They pulled a shifty on us.”

Call it populist (Clive wore a flanno at the press conference), but this performance is making the Government look weak and unable to control Parliament.

The PUP senators and others on the cross bench will eventually vote to remove carbon pricing but the process will be messy and reflect badly on the Government.

Clive Palmer will have made clear he cannot be ignored.

Originally published as Comment: Bullied by Clive Palmer, Tony Abbott’s government appears to have lost control of Senate