Scott Morrison slaps down Barnaby Joyce on coal in damaging Coalition split on energy

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing a damaging Coalition split on energy and a bitter Nationals row on leadership after he pushed back at demands to help fund a new coal-fired power plant in Queensland, widening a policy gulf inside the government just two months out from the election.

Barnaby Joyce with Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Moderate Liberals ridiculed their Nationals colleagues as unworkable and economically illiterate, with one, Brisbane MP Trevor Evans, describing proponents as “a very small and lonely minority whistling Dixie on this”.

Mr Morrison sparked concerns among the junior Coalition partner by countering calls for government help for the power project, putting him at odds with former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce in a new test for the "marriage" of the two parties.

Read the story from The Age by David Crowe - “Scott Morrison slaps down Barnaby Joyce on coal in damaging Coalition split on energy.”

ACCC rejects coal-fired power support claims

Competition chief Rod Sims has dismissed suggestions a landmark energy report he issued on Wednesday backed government support for coal, as Coalition figures used the claim to push public subsidies for a new coal-fired power plant to solve Australia's energy crisis.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims.

Nationals MPs latched onto a key recommendation that new “firm” generation capacity be underwritten by the government to support new entrants by giving them a long-term guarantee that Canberra would buy electricity to help them secure finance.

"It is technology neutral and if you are interested in affordability best to stay that way," Mr Sims said. "It's not targeted at baseload power and it's not targeted at coal.”

Read the story from The Age by Eryk Bagshaw - “ACCC rejects coal-fired power support claims.”