PoliticsNow Live: Julie Bishop attack on Labor’s China donors misfires

PoliticsNow: Julie Bishop’s attempt to put the heat on Labor over Chinese donors blew up in her face | WATCH

PM Malcolm Turnbull faces a backlash over the clean energy target. Picture Kym Smith

Australian Politics Live: Welcome to PoliticsNow. Energy policy continues to dominate the agenda, with angry Coalition MPs warning Malcolm Turnbull against embracing a clean energy target that hits consumers with higher prices.

David Crowe 4pm: What we learned in Question Time

Bill Shorten’s tacticians saw Julie Bishop coming a mile way when the Foreign Affairs Minister used Question Time to suggest the Opposition Leader was “personally compromised” over foreign donations from mysterious Chinese supporters.

Bishop launched her attack by dredging up old concerns over Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon, who quit as defence minister in the Rudd government after weeks of questions over his link to a Chinese supporter, Helen Liu. Using the cover of parliamentary privilege, Bishop said Fitzgibbon’s benefactor had links to a foreign intelligence service. She also said the Department of Defence had “grave concerns” about the matter. Then she asked why Shorten had not asked for a security briefing on the matter. The fact that he had not done so, she argued, showed he was personally compromised.

Bishop’s attack came one day after she used Question Time to revisit the scandal over NSW Labor Senator Sam Dastyari and his vocal support for Chinese policy in the South China Sea while standing alongside a Chinese donor. The Dastari affair is a running sore for Labor now that more stories are emerging of links between the party and the Chinese.

Labor was more than ready. As soon as Bishop was finished, Western Australian Labor backbencher Matt Keogh rose to ask about one of the Foreign Minister’s own Chinese supporters. Keogh told the chamber of Sally Zou, who has set up an entity called the “Julie Bishop Glorious Foundation” to help the deputy Liberal leader. You can read more about Zou here in an article by Primrose Riordan.

Labor won the moment as soon as Keogh mentioned this strange fund. The “Julie Bishop Glorious Foundation” had the sound of a suspicious donation even though Bishop told parliament every donation was disclosed under the law. Shorten was not the only one heckling Bishop. “Glorious” became the catcall from the Labor benches.

The Labor claims were not as strong as they seemed at first. The questions over the donations to Labor centred on the influence being exerted – including the claim that the Department of Defence had “grave concerns” about Helen Liu and the evidence, which is indisputable and caught on camera, that Dastyari had stood alongside a donor to break with Labor policy and support Chinese arguments about the South China Sea.

The government response would carry more weight if it was acting faster to halt foreign donations. Both major parties claim to be acting on this but are quibbling over how to change the law – and whether unions or activist groups like GetUp! should also be stopped from taking overseas money. In the meantime, the donations continue.

Coalition MPs were subdued in Question Time after their party room meeting on energy policy and climate change the evening before. Labor asked more questions about energy than the government, a sign of Shorten’s confidence that the divisions within the government are working strongly to Labor’s advantage. Liberals and Nationals stared down at their paperwork while Turnbull talked about action on power prices. Only a question to Peter Dutton about people smugglers seemed to revive them. On this issue, at least, they seem to know what they stand for. Their stance on energy policy is a painful work in progress.

3.25pm: ‘Get fair dinkum on donors’

Bill Shorten asks why the government won’t show it’s fair dinkum on foreign donors and back Labor’s legislation banning foreign donors.

Turnbull says you could “drive a truck” through Labor’s legislation, and that the government will introduce its own legislation in the Spring sitting of parliament and make sure any such ban is comprehensive, and not simply limited to political parties.

He says Labor should look at its own record on foreign donations, and in particular the conduct of Sam Dastyari, who solicited money from a foreign donor.

“He got that privileged payment and then he switched the longstanding policy of the Labor Party,” the PM says.

“For all of that he was in the sin bin for six months.

“The Leader of the Opposition has got a long way to go before anyone will take him seriously on foreign donations.”

3.10pm: ‘Goldfinger bankrolling Labor’

The argy bargy over foreign donations continues, with Treasurer Scott Morrison highlighting today’s revelations that the NSW Labor Party received donations totalling at least $120,000 for last year’s federal election campaign from companies with links to a Chinese-born businessman selected to run as a party Senate candidate.

He suggests Sydney-based gold trader “Simon” Shuo Zhou, is “Labor’s own goldfinger”.

Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus hits back, asking whether former trade minister Andrew Robb breached restrictions on post-ministerial employment in accepting a part time position that earns him $880,000 a year on July 1 last year.

Christopher Pyne says the question should be out of order because Robb stopped being a Member of Parliament on May 9.

Speaker Tony Smith rules it out of order not for that reason, but because it should have been directed to the Prime Minister who is responsible for ministerial standards.

2.50pm: Labor faces heat over Chinese donors

Next comes a fiery exchange on foreign donations.

Julie Bishop zeroes in on revelations Shadow Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon had a benefactor with alleged links to a foreign intelligence services.

“Given that the Member for Hunter remains on front bench wouldn’t you think that the Leader of the Opposition would demand a security briefing?” she asks.

“The Leader of the Opposition has not sought such a briefing 36 hours after these serious allegations. His failure to do so means the Leader of the Opposition is now personally compromised on national security.”

Labor then hits back with a question about Chinese Australian mining magnate Sally Zou’s fundraising foundation, amusingly named the “Julie Bishop glorious foundation”.

Bishop says Ms Zou never raised the subject of the foundation on any of the occasions when they met, and she had been unaware of its existence until it was revealed in the media last week.

“All donations to the Liberal Party are declared in accordance with government policy,” she said.

“Until it was disclosed through the media last week I had never heard of such a foundation. At no time have I ever compromised government policy.”

Ms Bishop said that unlike Labor MPs Sam Dastyari and Joel Fitzgibbon, she could stand in parliament and be proud of her record.

2.45pm: Energy-charged debate

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg uses a question from his opposite number Mark Butler to note a series of instances where Labor MPs have supported carbon capture and storage.

He accuses them of hypocrisy for announcing yesterday that they will not support Clean Energy Finance Corporation investment in the technology.

“We are all in favour of lower electricity prices and a more stable system, and you’re much more likely to get that under Malcolm Turnbull’s government,” he says.

2.40pm: ‘Labor to blame for Manus payout’

Now there’s a dixer for Peter Dutton on the government’s border protection policy.

He blames Labor for today’s $70 million payout for Manus Island detainees.

“It’s now 1053 days since a successful people smuggling venture,” he says, adding that in contrast, Labor presided over a complete mess.

Dutton notes that the $70 million class action was run by “none other than the ambulance chasing labour law firm of Slater and Gordon” who pocketed $20 million.

He notes that various Labor MPs are former Slater and Gordon employees, and that the firm is a significant Labor Party donor.

2.30pm: Medicare levy ‘fairness’

There’s a dixer for the PM on NDIS funding.

Turnbull goes to town on Labor for failing to support the government’s 0.5 Medicare Levy increase to “fully fund” the NDIS.

“How can they look into the eyes of mothers of children with disabilities. How can they do that?” he says.

A second dixer on the NDIS gives Social Services Minister Christian Porter the chance to accuse Labor of declaring war on the middle class with their policy of only increasing the Medicare Levy for people earning more than $87,000.

Mr Porter says Labor is effectively saying that a teacher with five years’ experience in NSW should pay the levy, but those with four years’ should not.

“What on earth is fair about that?” he asks.

Joe Kelly 2.15pm: ‘Reform would have helped Ten’

More on what Mr Fifield has been saying about the media reform package, which the government will introduce into parliament tomorrow.

Mr Fifield argued the removal of the “two out of three rule” would have assisted Ten in improving its viability.

“We should all be concerned that a major Australian media organisation is facing these challenges and these difficulties,” he said. “The government has consistently warned for some time that Australian media organisations are facing challenges, are facing new competitors, and that they need to be unshackled from the laws and the regulations that were crafted in the 1980s.”

Senator Fifield said the government’s firm preference was not to split its media reform package despite opposition in the upper house, arguing the reforms enjoyed the support of the “entire media sector.”

“I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this package in its entirety,” he said. “The Ten Network has been at the forefront of those arguing over the last 18 months that we need precisely the sort media reform package that the government is putting to the parliament.”

“The greatest threat to Australia media diversity would be an Australian media organisation that didn’t continue,” he said.

Pressed on whether there was a prospect of Australia being left with only two free-to-air commercial television stations, Senator Fifield said efforts were being made by the administrators to “continue, as much as possible, on a business as usual basis.”

2.05pm: Having a ball

Question Time kicks off with a question from Bill Shorten on energy policy.

Malcolm Turnbull responds by suggesting Shorten has accidentally swapped his Question Time speech notes with those intended for this evening’s Midwinter Ball.

1.50pm: ‘Media reforms urgent’

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has seized on today’s news that Channel Ten is in voluntary administration to call for Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers to back the government’s media reforms as a matter of urgency.

Senator Fifield said it was a difficult and stressful time for Ten’s staff and their families, who were facing an uncertain future.

“That a major Australian media organisation is in such difficulty should be a matter of concern,” he said.

“The Turnbull Government and industry leaders have been warning for some time that Australia’s media industry is under pressure and needs reform.

“While the Government has sought to progress important reforms such as the abolition of the two out of three rule since March 2016, Labor’s response has been to frustrate and delay their passage.”

Senator Fifield said Labor had displayed a “callous disregard” for the impact their actions are having on an industry that desperately needs reform.

“Labor’s gamesmanship has limited the options for organisations like Ten,” he said.

“Today I call on Bill Shorten and Labor to abandon their politically motivated opposition and show they care about the Australian media industry and the men and women whose livelihoods depend on it.”

1.45pm: ‘Glibness won’t pay the bills’

Malcolm Turnbull at a press conference today. Picture: Kym Smith.

Malcolm Turnbull has described yesterday’s heated partyroom meeting on energy policy as a “very good discussion”, downplaying warnings from Coalition MPs that his leadership is on the line over the issue.

The Prime Minister said Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg had given the meeting a “very good exposition” of the Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s energy review and held “a question-and-answer session”.

Mr Turnbull said industry wanted certainty over energy policy and it was important to get the complex policy settings right.

“The aim is to get it right. Let me tell you, glib answers and one-liners have been of no assistance in keeping Australians energy secure and affordable,” he said, using language which could apply as much to Bill Shorten as to Tony Abbott.

“What Australians need is wise leadership, not glib leadership.

“What Australians need is economics and engineering, not ideology and politics.

“All that has done is drive electricity prices up and put reliability at risk.”

Mr Turnbull blamed Labor for the current problems with reliability and affordability.

“It’s taken quite a while to get us to this point where energy is less affordable and less secure than it should be,” he said.

“We will deal with it, we are dealing with it and we’re giving it the due consideration it deserves.

“As I said — this is a complex task, it’s a hard task. Glibness is not going to keep the lights on. Glibness is not going to pay the electricity bills.”

1.20pm: ‘No reason not to back levy for NDIS’

Malcolm Turnbull has held a joint press conference with Treasurer Scott Morrision, Social Services Minister Christian Porter and disability advocates in a bid to shame Labor into supporting their proposed 0.5 per cent Medicare Levy increase to “fully fund” the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

“Increasing the Medicare levy by half a per cent from 2019 will ensure that the Commonwealth share of the NDIS is fully funded,” the Prime Minister said.

“We speak a lot about compassion, love and empathy and community in this place, but we have to make sure we can pay for it.”

Mr Morrison said there was no rational or logical basis for opposing the Medicare Levy hike.

“It is absolutely consistent with what the Labor Party did in 2012,” he said.

“It is cruel to let this linger. The reason we put it in the budget is because we need the certainty now. Those parents, particularly those older parents, they need the certainty now.”

1.10pm: Greens ‘fair dinkum’ on Gonski

The Greens have indicated they are “fair dinkum” in considering supporting the government’s Gonski 2.0 funding model, but say the absence of transparency mechanisms in the current policy is a “deal-breaker”.

The Greens partyroom was this morning briefed by the architect of the needs-based funding model, David Gonski.

A Senate report on the government’s schools legislation is due to be handed down this afternoon, with the bill itself expected to be debated next week.

Greens education spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said her party — which holds nine of the ten seats needed to pass the bill — had said from the beginning that they wanted to run a “fair dinkum” consultation process and hear from all stakeholders and experts.

“We are first and foremost big supporters of genuine, needs-based funding, based on what David Gonski had originally proposed, so this morning David Gonski came and briefed our partyroom,” Senator Hanson-Young told Sky News.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says her party is a big supporter of needs-based funding.

“It was a very constructive discussion. I think what he did was he was able to talk about why he believes needs-based funding is important and the status quo isn’t in line with what he’d originally proposed, that the Gillard Gonski model wasn’t really the David Gonski model.

“This, in his view is in some ways better, but there are still things that need to be improved.”

Senator Hanson-Young said the absence of an independent body to oversee robust transparency mechanisms in the government’s policy currently presented a roadblock to the Greens supporting the legislation, which is due to be debated next week.

“I think really the major concerns that are still there are making sure we have robust transparency mechanisms, which is why we need this independent body, a body that (Gonski) had originally proposed,” she said.

“Labor didn’t do it, and it’s not in the government’s current package, so we really urge the government to take on that.

“For us this independent oversight body is absolutely crucial, because what is the point of going through all of this effort, putting in place a needs-based system, but then you’ve got no watchdog to make sure it happens?”

Senator Hanson-Young said the oversight body would not prevent the Catholic or independent school sectors or the states and territories from having autonomy over how they distribute funding, but was hopeful it was shame them into distributing funds more equitably.

“They will have autonomy, but what we need is transparency,” she said.

“We need to know the schools that deserve that money, that need that money will get it.

“I think naming and shaming in this game is going to be very powerful, and it’s not just the Catholic system. This is also for states where some states have not spent their money where they should. Some money’s been thrown up against a wall funding roads or buildings and not going to education.”

12.10pm: Native Title Act bill passed

Crucial amendments to the Native Title Act which have been standing in the way of the $16.5 billion Adani coal mine have passed the Senate with the support of all but the Greens.

The bill passed with 45 in favour and nine against.

11.40am Tougher laws for pedophiles

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has introduced draft laws to parliament which will restrict the movement of about 20,000 registered child sex offenders.

Ms Bishop also flagged tougher sentences for pedophiles as she introduced the legislation, championed by crossbench senator Derryn Hinch, which creates a new offence for reportable offenders to travel or attempt to travel overseas without permission and gives the minister the power to deny them a passport.

More than 770 Australian child sex offenders went abroad in 2016 - half of whom were deemed “medium to high risk” by police.

A third of them violated an obligation to tell police of their intended travel.

“These offenders have a high propensity to re-offend in countries where they are not monitored and where child sexual exploitation is rampant,” Ms Bishop said.

“These laws will make Australia a world leader in protecting vulnerable children from child sex tourism.”

Ms Bishop flagged further legislation to criminalise “emerging forms of child sexual exploitation” and strengthen the sentencing and management of Commonwealth child sex offenders.

She said she hoped the bills would be introduced to parliament in the Spring sitting.

Senator Hinch yesterday expressed the hope that the travel restriction legislation would have sufficient support to pass on voices.

With AAP

11.25am; ‘We’ll give Finkel full consideration’

Bill Shorten has called for Malcolm Turnbull to show leadership and pull the Coalition into line on energy policy, saying paralysis on the issue is driving prices through the roof and threatening the viability of businesses and the cost of living.

Bill Shorten speaks to the media today. Picture: AAP.

Speaking at a business in Queanbeyan this morning, the Opposition Leader said Labor was prepared to make compromises in the national interest.

“We like an emissions intensity scheme, we think that is the best way to help drive more jobs in renewables, downward pressure on energy and electricity prices and of course tackle climate change, but the Finkel report has proposed a clean energy target,” Mr Shorten said.

“We are prepared to give it full and fair consideration and analysis.”

Shadow Energy Minister Mark Butler said yesterday’s Coalition partyroom meeting had put Australia in a “very dangerous position”.

“We’ve seen before in 2009 and in 2011 what a major party walking away from energy policy does to the economy,” he said. “Wholesale power prices have doubled in the four years of this government and as Mathias Cormann said himself yesterday, if we don’t come to grips with the Finkel report recommendations, power prices will go up and up.”

Mr Shorten said coal would remain part of Australia’s energy mix.

“But if we going to have a discussion about clean energy, the proposition that includes all forms of coal is just a con,” he said.

“I understand the government wants to be all things to all people but if we’re going to have a clean energy target it’s got to be a fair dinkum energy target and I think that’s what everyone reasonably expects.”

11.05am: Dastyari assumption not reasonable

Bill Shorten has denied a reasonable person could conclude that Labor senator Sam Dastyari changed Labor’s policy on the South China Sea based on a $400,000 donation.

The Opposition Leader’s comments came amid news today that the NSW Labor Party received donations totalling at least $120,000 for last year’s federal election campaign from companies with links to a Chinese-born businessman selected to run as a party Senate candidate.

Four companies either run by or connected to “Simon” Shuo Zhou, a Sydney-based gold trader with strong political affiliations to a pro-Beijing lobby organisation, made separate donations to the NSW ALP over a 24-hour period just a week after the July 2 election was called.

Mr Shorten said this morning that he hadn’t followed the Zhou story “that closely”, but that previous revelations of links to Chinese donors on both sides of politics showed the government should join with Labor in supporting a ban on foreign donations.

“I think the Liberals need to stop relying on foreign donations to fund the Liberal Party, join with Labor, ban foreign donations and see what other measures we can reasonably take to ensure confidence can be maintained in our democratic process,” he said.

During the 2016 election campaign, then Labor defence spokesman Stephen Conroy outlined Labor’s foreign policy on freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and in a speech to the National Press Club.

Hours later Conroy was contradicted by then Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate, Senator Sam Dastyari, who held a press conference at the commonwealth parliamentary offices in Sydney alongside a Chinese benefactor who had donated $400,000 to Labor.

Asked today whether a reasonable person could think Senator Dastyari changed Labor’s policy on the South China Sea based on a $400,000 donation, Mr Shorten said, “No”

10.25am: ‘Let us carry stun guns, tasers’

Australians should be allowed to arm themselves to protect against the threat of terrorism, according to crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm.

The Liberal Democrats leader said he believed many people shared his view, saying restrictions should immediately be lifted on “nonlethal” weapons such as pepper spray, mace and personal tasers.

David Leyonhjelm in the Senate Chamber. Picture: Kym Smith.

“We get into arguments about the details, of course, but I think the general idea of being responsible for your own safety and having the means to do it is pretty popular,” Senator Leyonhjelm said.

“You shouldn’t need a licence. You should be able to carry that for self-defence pretty much without restrictions.

“Lethal means of self-defence, which are guns and so forth, obviously that should only be available to people who know how to use them, but off-duty police for example, who do know how to use a gun, why shouldn’t they be able to carry them to protect themselves and their families and other people if the need arises?”

Senator Leyonhjelm said he had discussed the issue with a number of police officers.

Read the article in full here.

10.05am: Reports Finkel dead ‘exaggerated’

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg says reports the clean energy target is dead are “greatly exaggerated”.

Downplaying reports of angry Coalition MPs warning Malcolm Turnbull that his leadership will be on the line if he embraced a clean energy target that hits consumers with higher prices, Mr Frydenberg said yesterday’s partyroom discussion had offered the opportunity to update his colleagues on the findings of Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s energy review.

Mr Frydenberg said Dr Finkel had recommended that coal be kept in the system in order to keep power affordable and provide baseload power

“What came through loud and clear from my colleagues last night is their deep concern, appropriately, about rising electricity prices,” Mr Frydenberg said.

Mr Frydenberg declined when challenged to call Tony Abbott out on the discrepancy between his position on a clean energy target as prime minister, and his current position.

Mr Abbott, who is leading the charge against a new clean energy target, has said he only signed up to the Paris agreement to reduce Australia’s emissions by 26 to 28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030, “because it was not binding”.

But in 2015, Mr Abbott defended signing up to the Paris deal, saying:

“There is a definite commitment to 26 per cent, but we believe under the policies we’ve got and the circumstances we think will apply, we’ll get to 28 per cent. We will reduce our emissions by 26 to 28 per cent. This is a very strong and responsible target. It is environmentally responsible, it is economically responsible.”

Asked whether Mr Abbott had been right in 2015 or was right now, Mr Frydenberg declined to buy in.

“You can ask me 23 different ways, but I’m not going to comment on what Tony Abbott had to say in the past and what he had to say in the partyroom yesterday,” he said.

Read the full article here.

9.45am: Husic’s Turnbull playlist

Labor frontbencher Ed Husic has been telling reporters about his new Spotify playlist, titled: ‘Malcolm’s Party Room Playlist - Party like it’s 2009’.

The playlist is based on Queen tracks and, he says, it “writes itself.”

It includes: I want to break free; Don’t stop me now; Keep yourself alive; It’s a hard life; Another one bites the dust; Under pressure and Fight from the inside.

“I used Queen, because he sold out on everything else (so) he might as well back the Queen,” Mr Husic said.

Mr Turnbull was again having to fight to justify what the rest of the public knows politicians need to do, he added.

“Stop the bickering, come up with an energy policy that will generate energy, meet the needs of the community, do it in a way that’s efficient, cleaner and not continue this brawl we’ve been having now for

9.15am: ‘Status quo hurts families’

Treasurer Scott Morrison has warned the federal government can’t continue with existing energy policy because it’s hurting families and the economy.

Mr Morrison described as a “useful discussion” a lengthy coalition partyroom meeting on Tuesday night about a report from Chief Scientist Alan Finkel on energy security.

Mr Morrison warned that for 10 years “politics as usual” had delivered business as usual and that wasn’t working.

“If you stick to the status quo on energy policy then prices are going to go up which is going to hurt families, hurt households, hurt businesses, hurt the economy,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Continuing along the same path would see Australia’s traditional advantage of cheap power eroded, with coal generators shutting earlier and no stability in other parts of the sector.

“As treasurer, this is important for our economy that we have a stable system in which investors can put their investment funds to deliver what our economy needs.”

Mr Morrison also rejected Mr Abbott’s claim the clean energy target was a “magic pudding” and effectively a tax on coal.

AAP

8.00am: ‘PM’s job not on the line’

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann denied that Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership was on the line over energy policy.

An unnamed Liberal MP has today been quoted, saying “Malcolm could lose his leadership over this if he doesn’t listen to us.”

Senator Cormann said that was not the case.

“No, not at all and yesterday what the Prime Minister did was precisely that, he was listening,” Senator Cormann told ABC TV.

“We received on Friday the Finkel Report which is a blueprint on how our energy policy framework can be transformed to ensure we can put downward pressure on electricity prices to ensure reliable energy supplies into the future and in a way that still helps us meet our emissions reduction target, and what the Prime Minister did at the first opportunity was give the partyroom an opportunity to be heard and we did have a full and frank conversation.

“We did, of course, listen to all of the issues raised. A lot of questions were asked and it is now a matter for Josh Frydenberg and the Government to work through the recommendations and the Finkel Report and to develop the best possible policy response for Australia.”

Senator Cormann said he had 100 per cent confidence in Mr Turnbull’s prime ministership.

7.45am: ‘No ideological disposal to coal’

The Chair of the Coalition’s backbench energy and environment committee said he wouldn’t go as far as one of his colleagues, who has been reported as saying “Finkel in its current form is dead”.

Craig Kelly, who notably said he had the “champagne on ice” a couple of weeks ago in preparation to celebrate Donald Trump’s dumping of the US commitment to the Paris climate targets, said Finkel was merely a set of parameters for the parliament to decide how to set a clean energy target, and did not stipulate the details of that should be done.

Liberal backbencher Craig Kelly. Picture: Kym Smith;

“That’s what the meeting was about yesterday, to try and sort out some of the details to give everyone a chance to sit in the partyroom and give the concerns that they are seeing around their electorate about what could happen if this was implemented,” Mr Kelly told ABC radio.

The conservative backbencher agreed with Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg’s description of yesterday’s meeting as an “information gathering” exercise and the discussion as “valuable and constructive, full and frank”.

“I think that’s exactly right. The minister I think gives full credit,” Mr Kelly said.

“It was a very frank discussion, it was a very constructive discussion, and it was done in a very professional manner by all.”

Mr Kelly said conservatives were not ideologically wedded to coal.

“There’s no ideological disposal towards coal,” he said.

“We simply have to have, if we’re going to have productive industries in this country, if we’re going to have competitive industries, if we’re going to have a wealthy community and the ability to pay for things that the government wants to pay for, we’ve got to generate electricity at the lowest possible cost.

“Now if that can be done through a combination of renewables and storage or pumped hydro, that’s fantastic.”

7.10am: Stern words between Abbott, Laundy

As David Crowe reports, the fierce reaction is aimed at forcing the Prime Minister to rule out reforms that hurt coal and gas power. Conservative MPs said after last night’s Coalition partyroom meeting that about 20 MPs had bluntly opposed Chief Scientist Alan Finkel’s proposal for a clean energy target or raised significant concerns about it, while others said there were about 10 MPs who were clearly against the target while another 10 expressed concerns about its design but were prepared to accept it as long as it avoided putting pressure on household prices.

In his analysis of the Coalition brawl, which last night saw stern words exchanged between Tony Abbott and Turnbull frontbench ally Craig Laundy, Crowe writes that the Liberals and Nationals MPs have thrown themselves into an internal row that tells Australians to look elsewhere for leadership.

7am: On the agenda today

On the legislative agenda today are crucial amendments to the Native Title Act which are needed to secure the $16.5 billion Adani coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin. They’re expected to pass the Senate today with Labor’s support.

Crossbench Senator Derryn Hinch’s world-first legislation to ban registered sex offenders from travelling overseas or holding an Australian passport is expected to be introduced to the lower house. Up to 20,000 registered sex offenders in Australia would be affected by the measures. Senator Hinch expressed optimism that the legislation may even pass on voices while relaunching his campaign for a national public register of convicted sex offenders yesterday.

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce will also introduce a bill to set up the Regional Investment Corporation, to be based in the NSW regional city of Orange from 2018 and streamline the delivery of support for farmers and loans for states and territories to build dams.

A parliamentary inquiry will meanwhile scrutinise Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s plans to revamp citizenship laws and include tougher English language tests. The inquiry will today hear from refugee advocates, including the Refugee Council of Australia and the NSW Refugee Communities Advocacy Network. As Rosie Lewis reports, the Coalition will need to convince Labor or the Senate crossbenchers to support the citizenship legislation, which is due to be introduced to the lower house today, after the Greens confirmed they would opposed the overhaul.

In other politics news

• Attorney-General George Brandis granted parole to a convicted terrorist just weeks before Malcolm Turnbull and his cabinet launched an all-out assault on the judiciary over what they claimed was its soft treatment of violent extremists at the hands of state parole boards.

• More than 100 prestigious private schools will receive less federal funding as part of Malcolm Turnbull’s education reforms, including the Sydney institutions of Cranbrook, Ascham, Kambala and the Kincoppal-Rose Bay School in the Prime Minister’s electorate, The Australian can exclusively reveal. Under the government’s $18.6 billion changes, 344 schools will lose funding under Gonski 2.0 compared to Labor’s existing model. This includes 24 previously identified independent schools, 27 Catholic systemic schools in the ACT, 151 government schools in the Northern Territory, and 142 non-government schools.

• NSW Labor received donations totalling at least $120k through links with a Chinese born businessman selected to run as Senate candidate.

• The Turnbull government’s attempt to halt importation of cannabis products was blocked in the Senate yesterday.

• After more than 30 years with the Australian Taxation Office — in a career recently described as “illustrious” by its chief — deputy ­commissioner Michael Cranston ­resigned yesterday as the $130m fraud allegedly involving his son and daughter hit the courts.

• The government has accused Bill Shorten of a potential conflict of interest as a former director of AustralianSuper, claiming the fund made a donation to the Australian Workers Union when he was also its national secretary.

• The Australian Chinese community has founded a not-for-profit group to mobilise against same-sex marriage.

In our opinion pages

Janet Albrechtsen Voters will see through dodgy promises from politicians unfamiliar with the truth and “self-deceiving” Liberals may be headed for oblivion.

Paul Kelly We should not assume that Australia is immune from the crises of London and Washington.

Dennis Shanahan It’s time for a rethink on Finkel if the Coalition is to survive.

Troy Bramston Voters would tune in to Anthony Albanese as Labor leader.

James Jeffrey Yesterday’s Question Time saw Albo break his questions drought.

Maurice Newman Wasteful public projects are monuments to the endless mismanagement of our money, and the Turnbull government’s most recent budget is no exception.

Our editorial contends that with national political debate being overwhelmed once more by climate and energy policy, perhaps it is time to go back to first principles. Instead of political jousting between technical prescriptions — clean energy target versus emissions intensity scheme versus renewable energy target versus emissions trading scheme versus carbon tax — we should ask ourselves what this policy is designed to achieve.