Turnbull blocked on climate change

Malcolm Turnbull supported the concept of an emissions trading scheme, when he was environment minister in the Howard government.

And he probably still does now.

However he has found little support for the idea in the joint Coalition party room, where it was discussed, yet again, yesterday.

The outcome, if that is not too strong a word, was essentially yet another decision wait and see what developments occur in this area.

That gave the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, a brief chance to draw attention away from the Coalition’s sustained attack on his budget.

Addressing parliament at question time, Mr Rudd mounted an attack of his own.

“What the Australian nation saw today was the Leader of the Oppostion rolled in his own joint party room,” the Prime Minister said.

Mr Rudd said the Liberal party’s “hard men” of the right had combined with the National Party to produce that result.

“The leadership of the current Leader of the Opposition has been fundamentally undermined by his inability to stand up to the climate change sceptic in his own party,” Mr Rudd crowed.

What the business community is looking for on climate change is certainty, the Prime Minister added.

These were powerful points.

And they would have been even more powerful if Mr Rudd, himself, had managed to take the firm stance he recommended on climate change.

But he hasn’t

The government has, formally, adopted a carbon pollution reduction scheme, but it has not,  so far settled firm targets.

And it has also delayed the start of its new scheme until July 2011, well after the next election, which must be held by late next year.