Dutton considers Turnbull challenge as PM backflips on 26pc emissions target
PETER Dutton is seriously considering launching a challenge for the prime ministership as Malcolm Turnbull backflipped on legislating the 26 per cent Paris emissions reduction target in a desperate bid to save his leadership.
NSW
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PETER Dutton is seriously considering launching a challenge for the prime ministership as Malcolm Turnbull backflipped on legislating the 26 per cent Paris emissions reduction target in a desperate bid to save his leadership.
Just four days ago Mr Turnbull said the Paris target was non-negotiable and an essential part of his signature energy policy but as the danger to his leadership mounted, with the threat of MPs crossing the floor and ministers resigning, he has reneged and will now regulate, rather than legislate, the Paris commitment.
But the conservative and marginal-seat MPs agitating for a leadership change say it is not only the National Energy Guarantee that is causing them concern, but the broader positioning of the Turnbull government ahead of the federal election.
They claim Mr Turnbull has shown no improvement since the last election in his ability to campaign or sell a message to the public, while Bill Shorten has been ruthlessly effective.
Mr Dutton has told conservative colleagues who have approached him in recent days he will give serious thought to a challenge after being urged to act to prevent a devastating loss at the next election.
“I think (Turnbull) is in the most serious position on leadership since he became prime minister,” one MP told The Saturday Telegraph.
“There’s a lot of people who at the very least are looking for a change of direction, if not a change of leader.”
The MPs Mr Dutton spoke to told The Saturday Telegraph he has no personal problem with Mr Turnbull but that he understood their grave fears over the Coalition’s prospects in Queensland, with the possibility of even a wipe-out under Mr Turnbull.
Mr Dutton, the Home Affairs Minister, told colleagues that while he is under siege from an aggressive GetUp! campaign, he is not worried about losing the Queensland seat of Dickson he has held for 17 years.
Conservative faction leaders are ready to strike, and claim they have the numbers, but are not convinced the transactional cost of changing leader is worth it and thus have no firm time frame.
A challenge is possible, but very unlikely, this coming week or when Parliament returns for a fortnight on September 10.
Conservative MPs said this was the most significant threat to Mr Turnbull since he overthrew Tony Abbott in September 2015.
A senior conservative figure said the problem was not just the National Energy Guarantee but the low primary vote in Longman and the government’s broad policy platform.
“People are unsettled, particularly since Longman,” he said.
“We’ve got to win our base back. Our base are just deserting us, that’s the problem with Malcolm. How does he bring that back? People are worried about the message not being clear enough. There’s been no real sign of his capacity to get a message through and campaign any better than at the last election.”
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To try and fend off a potential leadership threat, Mr Turnbull, Treasurer Scott Morrison and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg have developed reforms to bring down electricity prices, which they have run past several MPs who had threatened to cross the floor, including Andrew Hastie.
They will announce measures to bring down electricity bills on Monday — the day before a Coalition party room meeting that could still be explosive.
The fact the Paris emissions targets will be regulated, not legislated, mean that if Labor wins government, it can easily increase the target from 26 per cent to their preference of 45 per cent.
Mr Turnbull made this point on Tuesday, arguing legislation was a “great security” for the Coalition’s emissions reduction target.
Some MPs are not aware there is a serious prospect of a leadership contest because calls have not been extensively made.
In September, Mr Turnbull will reach the milestone of being the longest serving prime minister since John Howard.
Mr Dutton has not commented on the leadership speculation.