This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/02/malcolm-turnbulls-talking-points-leaked-in-sign-of-liberal-disunity

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Malcolm Turnbull's talking points leaked in sign of Liberal disunity Malcolm Turnbull's talking points leaked in sign of Liberal disunity
(7 months later)
There are further signs of disunity in Coalition ranks after talking points prepared by the prime minister’s office for MPs and senators were leaked to the media before the first day of parliament for the year.There are further signs of disunity in Coalition ranks after talking points prepared by the prime minister’s office for MPs and senators were leaked to the media before the first day of parliament for the year.
The talking points were leaked within hours of being sent out on Monday night and canvassed topics such as jobs and growth, innovation, school funding and the royal commission into trade unions, the ABC reported.The talking points were leaked within hours of being sent out on Monday night and canvassed topics such as jobs and growth, innovation, school funding and the royal commission into trade unions, the ABC reported.
The email included a social media meme mocking union donations to the Labor party.The email included a social media meme mocking union donations to the Labor party.
The talking points ask party members to focus on jobs and growth, the government’s innovation plan, proposed changes to pathology services, school funding and the trade union royal commission.The talking points ask party members to focus on jobs and growth, the government’s innovation plan, proposed changes to pathology services, school funding and the trade union royal commission.
They include the line: “Can Bill Shorten point to a single savings measure that Labor is proposing, other than scrapping the $1.3bn emissions reduction fund and replacing it with a carbon tax that will hit every Australian family when it comes to paying the electricity bill?”They include the line: “Can Bill Shorten point to a single savings measure that Labor is proposing, other than scrapping the $1.3bn emissions reduction fund and replacing it with a carbon tax that will hit every Australian family when it comes to paying the electricity bill?”
The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, played down claims of dissent within the government.The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, played down claims of dissent within the government.
“I believe the Turnbull government is a strong and united team,” he told ABC Radio.“I believe the Turnbull government is a strong and united team,” he told ABC Radio.
There was nothing unusual about a government communicating with MPs and senators about its priorities and why its approach was better than the opposition, he said.There was nothing unusual about a government communicating with MPs and senators about its priorities and why its approach was better than the opposition, he said.
The resources minister, Josh Frydenberg, acknowledged some people within the Coalition might be disgruntled but said this did not reflect a broader sense of disunity.The resources minister, Josh Frydenberg, acknowledged some people within the Coalition might be disgruntled but said this did not reflect a broader sense of disunity.
Related: Tony Abbott's decision to stay may finally force Turnbull to take a stand | Lenore Taylor
“We are getting on with the job of governing in this election year,” he told ABC TV on Tuesday.“We are getting on with the job of governing in this election year,” he told ABC TV on Tuesday.
“Malcolm Turnbull has the confidence of the party room and certainly has the confidence of the Australian people.”“Malcolm Turnbull has the confidence of the party room and certainly has the confidence of the Australian people.”
He said talking points were leaked on both sides of politics over the years.He said talking points were leaked on both sides of politics over the years.
The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, told ABC radio the government had a good news story to tell and someone had wanted to be out there “slightly earlier than the rest” talking up the Coalition’s record.The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, told ABC radio the government had a good news story to tell and someone had wanted to be out there “slightly earlier than the rest” talking up the Coalition’s record.