Joe Hockey, 2007. Credit: What's new?

By Rich Bowden:

The leadership crisis of Australia’s Liberal party, which has pitted moderates against conservatives over whether or not to agree to the Government’s contentious Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) legislation amendments, took another turn yesterday as so-called unity candidate Joe Hockey met with fellow frontbencher Peter Dutton at his Sydney home.

The two met for a number of hours before leaving for Canberra with speculation that Hockey is considering running with Dutton as a prospective deputy leader on a left-right unity ticket.

The affable Opposition Treasury spokesman is considered to be positioning himself for a leadership bid, despite stating as early as last week that he would not contest the position against current leader Malcolm Turnbull. Hockey is seen as a moderate who would be able to unite the Liberal party’s warring factions exposed over the ETS legislation, though he would be weakened as an alternative prime minister due to an expected agreement to the right wing of the party to defer the legislation.

Hockey has previously stated his strong support for an emissions trading scheme.

The ABC is quoting senior members of the party as saying he will announce his candidacy for tomorrow’s leadership spill later today where he is expected to face a recalcitrant Malcolm Turnbull who has refused to resign as leader over his failure to carry party conservatives over the ETS amendments.

The third candidate, conservative Tony Abbott is seen a more divisive figure having led the frontbench revolt against Turnbull and has said he will not stand should Hockey agree to run. Abbott has said Hockey may well be the candidate most qualified to heal the split in the party, though should Hockey win the leadership spill – as is now expected – Abbott must fully expect a promotion to a more senior frontbench role.

‘Wreckers’

Meanwhile current leader Malcolm Turnbull, in a scene reminiscent of Labor legendary leader “Doc” Evatt denouncing splitters in his party which was a reaction to the revolt which led to the 1950s schism in the Labor party, used

Opp. Leader Malcolm Turnbull. Credit: Adam Carr.

weekend television to denounce so-called “wreckers” in his party.

“If this issue is not resolved, the climate change war that Nick Minchin and his wreckers have started will continue to destroy the Liberal Party until such time as we are destroyed by Kevin Rudd in an election,” he told the Nine Network‘s Laurie Oakes.

A clearly determined Turnbull attacked “Minchinites” in his party as climate change deniers led by Senator Minchin who stood for a “do-nothing” approach to climate change.

“They do not believe that climate change is real,” Mr Turnbull said. “They do not believe that humans are causing it and they do not want to do anything about it.

“When he (Senator Minchin) talks about a delay or a deferral, what that means is denial and that is political death. There is no sincerity or genuineness on the part of these people when they say they want to have an open mind.”

He pointed out that Minchin, and other members Tony Abbott and Kevin Andrews who had moved against Turnbull on the ETS, had supported a similar scheme when in Government under John Howard. Turnbull also pressured his colleague Joe Hockey against running by saying he would be nothing more than a conservative puppet as leader.

“If Joe was the cuddly, friendly face of the Liberal Party but spouting Nick Minchin’s lines, that would destroy him and destroy the party,” he added.

“He knows that. He’s got too much character to be suckered into that. I will win on Tuesday. I am unbowed.”

However despite his defiance, senior Liberal party insiders have said the leader’s support has all but evaporated since last week. Opinion polls released today bear this out with Hockey most preferred candidate over Turnbull with Abbott a distant third.

The leadership spill motion is expected to be called Tuesday morning.

Tags: emission trading scheme australia, ets australia, Joe Hockey, liberal split, Malcolm Turnbull, nick minchin, Tony Abbott