‘Big issue': Turnbull government's energy plan may curb state ambition

The Turnbull government is set for showdown with states and territories over its signature energy policy after new details of the plan revealed any additional efforts by the states to curb carbon emissions would not count towards the national target.

The emissions intensity of the power sector is on the increase.

A key policy design paper circulated among the states at the weekend and obtained by Fairfax Media appears to  recommend a review of the emissions reductions target only every five years and provides for exemptions of trade-exposed companies that constitute as much as a fifth of demand.

The exemption will be welcomed by manufacturers such as steelmaker Bluescope, but critics of policy regard aspects of the plan including the five-year reviews as inflexible at a time when the energy market is changing quickly.

Read Peter Hannam’s story from The Age - “‘Big issue': Turnbull government's energy plan may curb state ambition.”

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.”