Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is facing a ‘toxic’ fallout as he moves on making emissions target law

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull will today vow to lock in as law a climate change emissions reduction target of 26 per cent — nine years after energy policy saw him rolled as Opposition Leader. An explosive party room meeting is expected today.

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull will today vow to lock in Paris emissions reduction targets as law, sparking a rebellion in his own party room.

Nine years after energy policy led to Mr Turnbull being rolled as Opposition leader for Tony Abbott, the Coalition is once again gripped in an internal battle over its best response to energy policy — and it will come to a head today in what is expected to be an explosive party-room meeting.

SHARRI MARKSON ON NEG COALITION SUPPORT:

Along with a commitment to underwr ite new coal-fired power stations, Mr Turnbull will today tell the Coalition party room there will be legislation to cement the Paris emission reduction targets of 26 per cent.

Tony Abbott during Question Time in the House of Representatives Chamber at Parliament on Monday. Picture: Kym Smith

His predecessor Mr Abbott, and a group of National and Liberal MPs, want the government’s focus to be on cheaper electricity bills, not emissions, and are furious at the prospect of legislating the Paris commitment as part of the National Energy Guarantee (NEG).

Mr Abbott is likely to cross the floor on the emissions reduction legislation, along with former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and other Coalition MPs.

Barnaby Joyce could cross the floor on the emissions legislation. Picture: Kym Smith

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Parliament House on Monday. Picture: AAP

He told The Daily Telegraph the Turnbull government was at risk of becoming “toxic” among Liberal voters.

“If the party room backs the NEG, it will be completely out of step with the Liberal membership,” Mr Abbott said.

“The Liberal Party members want us to oppose the Labor Party, not to agree with the Labor Party, and the whole problem with the NEG is that it’s designed to get agreement from the Labor states.

“This is why this government risks becoming toxic with its own supporters.”

Deputy Liberal Leader Julie Bishop, PM Malcolm Turnbull with Nationals Leader and Deputy PM Michael McCormack and Deputy Nationals Leader Bridget McKenzie. Picture: Kym Smith

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg was yesterday frantically ringing dissenting Liberal and National MPs to try to win over their support to stop today’s party room meeting becoming a humiliating display of internal division.

Ministers told The Daily Telegraph they have serious concerns about the NEG and would like the focus to be on lowering energy prices, but said they were unlikely to speak out in the party room because they ultimately supported Mr Turnbull as leader.

Liberal MPs will also demand Mr Turnbull and Mr Frydenberg stand up to Leftie renewable-loving state premiers, such as Victoria’s Daniel Andrews, instead of giving in to their demands for a higher renewable energy target in order to secure an NEG deal.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was rolled as Opposition Leader for Tony Abbott over energy policy nine years ago. Picture: AAP

The MPs say they have been railroaded and not been given enough time to examine the detail of what is the most important piece of legislation that has gone through the Parliament to date.

Mr Joyce said the NEG should include promises to hit power companies that lift energy prices for households.

“What do we say to them if the power prices don’t go down?” he asked. Mr Joyce said he would listen “diligently” to the energy minister before deciding whether or not to cross the floor.

ACCC chair Rod Sims said the recommendation to help finance new generators was intended to be “completely technologically neutral”.

The big NEG. What will it mean?

Briefing the Nationals party room yesterday, he insisted that the government must implement the watchdog’s 56 recommendations to push prices own: “You can’t just narrow in on one sector.”

In a Coalition backbench energy committee meeting last night, Craig Kelly, Tony Abbott and Ken O’Dowd voted against the NEG going to the party room today for discussion, while Trent Zimmerman, Tim Wilson, Trevor Evans, Ted O’Brien, James Patterson, Steve Irons and Rowan Ramsay supported it.

Mr Joyce, Tony Pasin, Ian Macdonald, George Christensen and Bert van Manen were also present and expressed concerns but did not have the power to vote.

Their concerns were that the NEG did nothing to lower electricity prices, particularly before the federal election.