Gillard urges Libs to honour CPRS deal

Julia Gillard expects the Liberals to honour their agreement on the government's
carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) on Monday, whoever is in charge of the
embattled opposition party.

The acting prime minister says the government is giving opposition senators another
chance to pass the draft laws on Monday, when the lower house will also be holding a
special sitting from 10am (AEDT) on Monday.
"This is an agreement with the Liberal Party," Ms Gillard told reporters on Friday.
Monday may also see the showdown for the Liberal leadership, when Tony Abbott, who
resigned his frontbench position on Thursday, may challenge Opposition Leader
Malcolm Turnbull.
Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey may also be in the running.
Friday's agreed 3.45pm deadline for the Senate to pass the negotiated legislation,
which provides additional support for the coal and electricity sectors, passed by,
with only 10 per cent of amendments debated.
"It is deeply, deeply disappointing that the Liberal Party has not today honoured
that agreement and brought the debate in the Senate to a conclusion," Ms Gillard
said.
She said the government remained "absolutely committed" to securing the passage of
the CPRS and would be turning up on Monday to act in the nation's interest and
expects the Liberal Party to do the same.
"If they fail to do so it will be clear they have been conquered by the sceptics and
deniers in their ranks," she said.
She said Mr Turnbull had shown "great courage and great determination" over the
issue that was openly supported by Mr Hockey earlier this month, and that a
commitment to tackle climate change was also made by former prime minister John
Howard at the last election.
The government needs support from seven Liberal senators to pass the legislation.
The Nationals, Greens and the two independents will not be backing the scheme.
Climate Change Minister Senator Penny Wong, at Ms Gillard's side, said the Senate
has had more than enough time already to pass the deal.
Liberal senator Nick Minchin, who resigned his position as leader of the Senate on
Thursday, said Labor's accusation that the coalition was filibustering the CPRS
debate was "false and misleading".
"The CPRS legislation represents significant intervention in the Australian economy
and the package of 11 bills deserves nothing short of thorough scrutiny in the
Senate," Senator Minchin said in a statement after the upper house adjourned.
"Labor's claims that some 15 hours of questioning of the minister on these eleven
bills is excessive are very misleading and confirm Labor's desire for this
legislation to be rammed through the Senate even though there are considerable
amendments that have been in the public domain for less than three days."
Labor's leader in the Senate, Chris Evans laid into the opposition, particularly
Senator Minchin, as Friday's business drew to a close.
"I suspect that Senator Minchin will get his way and achieve the policy outcome he
sought from the start, which is to delay and defer," Senator Evans told the upper
chamber.
"To put it off to beyond Copenhagen, to beyond any concerns about a double
dissolution (election), to beyond any chance of this nation taking action on climate
change."
Ms Gillard would not directly answer questions about a double-dissolution election
of parliament if the CPRS legislation fails for a second time.
"We are not focused on anything other than delivering the carbon pollution reduction
scheme through the parliament into Australian law, in the national interest and in
accordance with our agreement with the Liberal Party," she said.