Turnbull energised

PM declares overwhelming support in party room for NEG

MALCOLM Turnbull has said there is big support for the Government’s signature energy policy following a marathon party room meeting.

Sources described the mood as “very positive” with fewer than a dozen MPs raising concerns with the National Energy Guarantee (NEG).

There were reportedly eight MPs in total who reserved their right to cross the floor to oppose legislating the Paris emission reduction target – Tony Abbott, Andrew Hastie, Tony Pasin, Andrew Gee, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews, Craig Kelly and George Christensen.

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg was last night scheduled to tell state ministers that the Labor states’ demand to have the party room sign off on the deal had been met.

However, the Government is confident Labor will begrudgingly support it after trying to amend the 26 per cent target to match their policy of 45 per cent.

Despite some dissenters, Mr Frydenberg said after the meeting the policy had the “strong support of the party room”. He called on Labor Leader Bill Shorten and the states to support implementation of the NEG.

Mr Turnbull said energy prices were a common concern among MPs but he pledged to use “every single lever available to us to bring down energy prices”.

He said the Government would move to legislate the Paris emissions reduction target of 26 per cent before the end of the sitting fortnight.

Earlier, a rebel group led by Mr Abbott and Barnaby Joyce, said they believed locking in the Paris agreement would be “toxic”.

Starting in 2020, the NEG is designed to bring down energy bills by about $550 a year and requires retailers to source electricity that meets reliability and Paris Agreement emissions reduction targets.

The states will be asked to agree to a four-week consultation process.