PM ditches greenhouse gas targets

Australia’s prime minister has abandoned plans to legislate to limit greenhouse gas emissions to head off a revolt by conservatives.

Malcolm Turnbull yesterday conceded he could not get legislation through the House of Representatives where his conservative coalition holds only a single-seat majority.

He said that, although most of the government supported the target of reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 26 per cent below 2005 levels, that support was not enough. Some want home affairs minister Peter Dutton to challenge Mr Turnbull’s leadership.