Australia opposition vote deals climate law blow

December 1, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

news.bbc.co.uk

Australia’s opposition Liberal Party has elected a new leader, amid a searing row over the government’s carbon trading laws.

Tony Abbott was chosen to replace Malcolm Turnbull at a Canberra meeting.

Mr Turnbull had backed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s emissions trading scheme (ETS), but Mr Abbott opposes it.

The government needs the support of the Liberals to pass the legislation in the Senate. The Liberal revolt throws Mr Rudd’s plans into turmoil.

Mr Rudd had wanted the legislation to pass the Senate – where his party does not have a majority – by the start of the Copenhagen climate change summit next week.

Last week he secured Mr Turnbull’s support for the bill, prompting the angry reaction from some Liberal lawmakers that triggered the leadership challenge.

Mr Abbott won the final vote against Mr Turnbull by 42 votes to 41. A third challenger, Joe Hockey, was eliminated in first-round voting.

“We will seek to refer the legislation to [a Senate] committee for further scrutiny. If we cannot get the support for that course of action we will oppose the legislation in the Senate this week,” he said.

“I think on something of this magnitude, it is much more important to get it right than to rush it,” he added.

Minutes after his victory, Mr Abbott told a news conference that he would fight the ETS bill. Read more…