Turnbull faces energy, citizenship challenges

A CRITICAL week lies ahead for Malcolm Turnbull as the long debate over energy policy comes to a head while remaining under the cloud of the citizenship fiasco that could yet see him lose his deputy.

MPs and senators return to Canberra for a sitting week that will also see university reform under the spotlight and the Senate to debate tightening English language requirements for citizenship applicants and make migrants wait longer to apply.

It is understood the Government’s long-awaited energy policy could be discussed at tomorrow’s Coalition party room meeting, a package Labor has ruled out supporting if it does not include a clean energy target.

The High Court has also adjourned its consideration of the eligibility, due to their dual citizenship, of seven sitting and former MPs until tomorrow. The group includes Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, whose potential disqualification would trigger a by-election in his NSW seat of New England and potentially threaten the Government’s one-seat majority.

Labor says it could also raise legal problems with decisions he has made as minister.

However, senior Labor frontbencher Mark Butler said unlike the prime minister, it is not going to presume what the High Court will decide.

“The prime minister, you will remember, announced in the Parliament what the High Court was going to decide about Barnaby Joyce’s eligibility even before the justices had started hearing submissions,” he told ABC television. Education Minister Simon Birmingham will continue talks with crossbenchers to try to get a win on university reforms.

He said there was $50 billion of debt owed to the Government under the existing student loan programs, with about quarter not expected to be repaid.

“That’s why we do need to proceed with reforms through the Senate to ensure more of that is repaid to maintain sustainability of student loans, whether they are for ... university education or vocational education and TAFE into the future,” Senator Birmingham said.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is keen to secure Senate passage of his Bill, listed for debate tomorrow, to tighten English language requirements for citizenship applicants and make migrants wait longer to apply. However, Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team say the changes are unfair and the Government has failed to show why they are needed.

Today, Greens MP Adam Bandt will present a private member’s Bill to ban Commonwealth support for coalfired power stations and independent Cathy McGowan will seek new laws to promote community-based renewable energy.