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| Barnaby Joyce says Abbott's energy comments risk putting Labor into power | Barnaby Joyce says Abbott's energy comments risk putting Labor into power |
| (4 months later) | |
| Deputy prime minister says Bill Shorten cannot be trusted with the ‘economic management of our nation’ | |
| Amy Remeikis | |
| Wed 20 Sep 2017 04.27 BST | |
| Last modified on Wed 20 Sep 2017 09.45 BST | |
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| Barnaby Joyce has urged the former prime minister Tony Abbott to fall back into line, warning the future of the government is at risk. | Barnaby Joyce has urged the former prime minister Tony Abbott to fall back into line, warning the future of the government is at risk. |
| Abbott reignited the clean energy target debate within the Coalition with some pointed comments to his former chief of staff, Peta Credlin, on Sky News and an opinion piece in the Australian, and has reportedly threatened to cross the floor if the Turnbull government took the “unconscionable” step of encouraging further investment in renewable energy. | Abbott reignited the clean energy target debate within the Coalition with some pointed comments to his former chief of staff, Peta Credlin, on Sky News and an opinion piece in the Australian, and has reportedly threatened to cross the floor if the Turnbull government took the “unconscionable” step of encouraging further investment in renewable energy. |
| But Joyce quickly moved to remind Abbott there was more at risk than party room tensions. | But Joyce quickly moved to remind Abbott there was more at risk than party room tensions. |
| “Tony Abbott has been prime minister, which is an incredible honour,” he told Sky News. “His photo is on the wall and forever more in history he will be known as a prime minister of this nation. And I don’t think a former prime minister is going to move to put a Labor government into power. | “Tony Abbott has been prime minister, which is an incredible honour,” he told Sky News. “His photo is on the wall and forever more in history he will be known as a prime minister of this nation. And I don’t think a former prime minister is going to move to put a Labor government into power. |
| “I think that no matter what sort of statements has been made, they know full well that the best form of government you have is one where people actually understand business. | “I think that no matter what sort of statements has been made, they know full well that the best form of government you have is one where people actually understand business. |
| “And I don’t think anybody in regional Australia is going to be terribly happy if we lose the inland rail, lose the dams portfolio, lose decentralisation, lose possibly the live cattle trade, lose our economic management of our nation to be replaced by Bill Shorten. | “And I don’t think anybody in regional Australia is going to be terribly happy if we lose the inland rail, lose the dams portfolio, lose decentralisation, lose possibly the live cattle trade, lose our economic management of our nation to be replaced by Bill Shorten. |
| “No matter where Bill is, you can never really trust him on his position and Tanya Plibersek who is really out there fighting for the inner-suburbs of Balmain and not really fighting for people in Cessnock any more.” | “No matter where Bill is, you can never really trust him on his position and Tanya Plibersek who is really out there fighting for the inner-suburbs of Balmain and not really fighting for people in Cessnock any more.” |
| The one-seat majority in the lower house has emboldened backbenchers to make a stand against Coalition positions they do not agree with and, on a clean energy target, Abbott has warned he is not alone. | The one-seat majority in the lower house has emboldened backbenchers to make a stand against Coalition positions they do not agree with and, on a clean energy target, Abbott has warned he is not alone. |
| The Queensland LNP MP George Christensen has been saying publicly for months he would vote with his feet if the government headed down the clean energy target route and told Guardian Australia on Wednesday morning he stood by his position. | The Queensland LNP MP George Christensen has been saying publicly for months he would vote with his feet if the government headed down the clean energy target route and told Guardian Australia on Wednesday morning he stood by his position. |
| “I said what Tony Abbott said weeks ago,” he said from Manila where he is representing Australia in the Asean conference. “If a clean energy target is going to push up energy prices, I would cross the floor. And looking at it, I can’t see how it wouldn’t. I dare say my vote is going to be against it.” | “I said what Tony Abbott said weeks ago,” he said from Manila where he is representing Australia in the Asean conference. “If a clean energy target is going to push up energy prices, I would cross the floor. And looking at it, I can’t see how it wouldn’t. I dare say my vote is going to be against it.” |
| The Nationals’ position was made clear at its recent conference, where the party voted to reject the clean energy target proposed in the Finkel report. | The Nationals’ position was made clear at its recent conference, where the party voted to reject the clean energy target proposed in the Finkel report. |
| Joyce has said his party members were sending a message but he declined to comment on what was discussed within cabinet. | Joyce has said his party members were sending a message but he declined to comment on what was discussed within cabinet. |
| “First of all cabinet decisions should remain confidential,” he said. “I know that is an old-fashioned concept but that is what is supposed to happen to them and I intend to keep our discussions in cabinet confidential.” | “First of all cabinet decisions should remain confidential,” he said. “I know that is an old-fashioned concept but that is what is supposed to happen to them and I intend to keep our discussions in cabinet confidential.” |
| But those restraints did not apply to all within the party. | But those restraints did not apply to all within the party. |
| “Backbenchers have every right to ventilate their views and they do,” he said. “Incessantly.” | “Backbenchers have every right to ventilate their views and they do,” he said. “Incessantly.” |
| Barnaby Joyce | |
| Australian politics | |
| Tony Abbott | |
| Coalition | |
| Liberal party | |
| Malcolm Turnbull | |
| news | |
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