Transcript of
Senator Mitch Fifield
Senator for Victoria
ABC2 News Breakfast
With Virginia Trioli
30 November 2009
8.10am
E & OE
Subjects: Emissions Trading Scheme
VIRGINIA TRIOLI:
Mitch Fifield good morning and thank you for joining us.
MITCH FIFIELD:
Good morning Virginia.
TRIOLI:
By your estimation this morning, who looks to be the lead candidate to unseat Malcolm Turnbull?
FIFIELD:
Well Tony Abbott has already declared that if the policy in relation to Labor’s ETS doesn’t change that he is prepared to put his hand up. He has also indicated that should Joe Hockey nominate, he is prepared to withdraw. So I think the take out of all that is that the Party is looking forward, we are moving on, and we are looking to the next leader of the Liberal Party and whoever that is will have the complete support of the Party Room.
TRIOLI:
But you do need Joe Hockey to put up his hand. Do you understand that he is likely to do that?
FIFIELD:
Well we will just have to wait and see. Obviously a lot of colleagues have been talking to Joe. He is entitled to consult his family and think about it. We will just have to wait and see if Joe does put his hand up. But it would be fair to say that I think there is a consensus emerging that Joe has the qualities of leadership we are looking for. And Joe has the skill set which we need to bring the Party together and to prosecute the case about the flaws in the Government’s ETS scheme, and also to put forward the Coalition’s plans to address climate change.
TRIOLI:
So some heavy pressure on him to step up to the plate?
FIFIELD:
Well Joe is someone who colleagues respect enormously. And we’d like to see Joe in a position of leadership. It remains to be seen if Joe does put his hand up. Tony Abbott is also someone who the colleagues have a very high opinion of. And as I said Tony Abbott has indicated that if Joe Hockey puts his hand up, he is happy to stand aside. What we want is unity. Colleagues are looking for resolution on Tuesday. And on Tuesday we will have a new leader of the Party.
TRIOLI:
Ok so, whichever way it goes, Malcolm Turnbull is over?
FIFIELD:
Well the colleagues have moved on.
TRIOLI:
Ok. The problem you might have though with Joe Hockey is that up until now at least he has been in the same camp as Malcolm Turnbull when it comes to supporting the Government’s amended Emissions Trading Scheme. You’ll have to work to change his mind, will you?
FIFIELD:
Joe is committed to action on climate change and in fact the Party Room is committed to action on climate change. One of the unfortunate things of the last few days, I think, is the depiction by Malcolm Turnbull of anyone who has issues with Labor’s ETS, and anyone who thinks it is important to wait and see what the rest of the world does, as people who are climate change deniers. Being in favour of a delay on voting for the legislation doesn’t make you a climate change denier. Being someone who wants to provide greater scrutiny to the Government’s ETS legislation doesn’t make you a climate change denier. The Party Room is committed to action on climate change. The issue is we want to make sure it is action which will be effective, and that it is action that won’t come at the expense of Australian jobs and Australia’s international competitiveness.
TRIOLI:
So what will your new policy on the Emissions Trading Scheme be?
FIFIELD:
A number of colleagues are of the view, as am I, that it is important to apply greater scrutiny to this legislation. One proposal, which I support, is referring it to the Senate Economics Committee for greater scrutiny to report back after Copenhagen. We will then have had the chance to take a closer look at the legislation, and we’ll also have a much better idea of what the rest of the world is doing. I think that is an appropriate approach. I don’t think any harm ever came from applying greater scrutiny to legislation. And I don’t think any harm ever came from having a better idea of what the rest of the world intends to do.
TRIOLI:
So there is no chance then that Monday in the Senate that this Government legislation is going to be passed by the Senate?
FIFIELD:
Well the Senate has a mind of its own and it would be a brave person to predict what will happen.
TRIOLI:
Take me into the mind of the Senate this morning Mitch Fifield, what do you reckon is going to happen?
FIFIELD:
Well we are only about ten per cent of the way through the amendments. There are hundreds of amendments being put forward to these eleven bills. It is important that those amendments receive appropriate scrutiny and that they are properly debated. The Senate doesn’t have a tradition of gagging debate as the House of Representatives does. I think colleagues from all parties would be extremely reluctant to curtail debate. So what I expect will happen today is that the debate will go on.
TRIOLI:
I wonder if you still really think though that you are on a winning strategy here. It was interesting to see figures in the Nielson Poll that was published in the Fairfax papers today, showing that 57 per cent of people back an early election if this legislation is blocked in the Senate. So do you really think you are on a winning strategy there?
FIFIELD:
I don’t think the Government is likely to go to an early election. I don’t think the Government relishes the prospect of defending this flawed legislation. And it is incumbent upon us as a Party to apply the appropriate scrutiny, and that’s what we are determined to do.
TRIOLI:
So you are calling his bluff?
FIFIELD:
Well I don’t think a political party should make its judgements on policy on the basis of whether a double dissolution election is likely or not. We shouldn’t take those decisions on the basis of whether or not that gives the Government a trigger for an early election. It is important to focus on the national interest, it is important to focus on getting the policy right and that is what we intend to do.
TRIOLI:
It is an interesting position that the Liberal Party is in right now and I wonder in your view, how you know believe the Party goes on to heal this rift. John Howard had the authority of Prime Minister and also of being such a longstanding and successful leader in bringing together that sometimes very uneasy grouping of liberals and conservatives. You don’t have that figurehead now. So how do you bring together those two factions, if you like, together, and how do you heal this rift?
FIFIELD:
There is a great sense of commitment across the Party to get around the next leader, to support them, to give them the authority that they need to do their job. But if there is a lesson to be learnt from this recent episode it is, firstly, that you have got to have a good debate in a Party before you seek to reach a position. Yes, unity and yes, discipline are important attributes for a political party, but in the hierarchy of political virtues, debate and ideas rank higher. You can’t call for discipline and you can’t call for unity before you’ve actually had a proper debate and reached a consensus position. That is the lesson we’ve all learnt from this episode.
TRIOLI:
So Malcolm Turnbull’s high-handedness brought him undone?
FIFIELD:
Well managing a parliamentary party requires a unique set of skills, and not everyone has those. I think Tony Abbott has those skills, I think that Joe Hockey has those skills. It is not an easy task at the best of times. But you need a leader who will consult. You need a leader who will take his colleagues forward with him. You need a leader who will reflect the will of the Party Room and I think Tony Abbott is such a person, as is Joe Hockey.
TRIOLI:
Good to talk to you this morning Senator, thanks for your time.
FIFIELD:
Thanks Virginia.
ENDS