Malcolm Turnbull and premiers clash over climate, topping a disastrous week for Coalition

Malcolm Turnbull - week-long
climate change spat.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's disastrous week-long spat over a climate-change policy review has culminated in a showdown with state premiers in Canberra, and criticism from the nation's chief business group.

Infrastructure, competition and family violence policies also provoked fights between the Prime Minister and state premiers at Friday's Council of Australian Government meeting.

But it was climate policy that dominated the COAG wash-up, with Mr Turnbull accused of trotting out "infantile slogans" in place of evidence-based policy by South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill.

WA Premier Colin Barnett argued a market-based carbon price mechanism had some role to play in reducing emissions and Victorian Premier Dan Andrews advocated a "proper" examination of climate policy that did not rule out anything - including an emissions intensity scheme - before the federal review was completed.

Read the story by James Massola and Adam Morton in today’s Melbourne Age - “Malcolm Turnbull and premiers clash over climate, topping a disastrous week for Coalition.”