Turnbull in climate change shift
Malcolm Turnbull would make no change to the Government's climate change policy in a major concession designed to extinguish lingering doubts about a return to him as Liberal leader.
_The West Australian _ understands that Mr Turnbull's supporters have been assuring colleagues that he would stick with the Direct Action policy to give business long-term certainty.
They say Mr Turnbull, who lost the Liberal leadership by one vote to Tony Abbott in 2009 over his support for Kevin Rudd's emissions trading scheme, is believed to regard the 2013 election as a referendum on the ETS.
It is understood Mr Turnbull believes Australia's climate change policy should not alter until international circumstances change - reflecting the dominant view inside the Government that Australia should not act in advance of major polluters.
It is likely that Mr Turnbull will be asked about his climate change position when he visits the NSW Central Coast today. His supporters say his view has been consistent for some time, pointing to comments he made last year.
"I do have to say, in fairness, that emissions trading schemes have worked better in theory than in practice," Mr Turnbull said in comments to ABC TV's QandA program last year.
Mr Turnbull and Julie Bishop will not challenge Mr Abbott but would likely contest leadership positions in the event of a spill.
As Abbott loyalists rallied around the Prime Minister yesterday, with some saying the push for a leadership showdown on Tuesday was losing momentum, some supporters said Mr Abbott needed to offer one more major concession to buy him valuable time.
Members of the NSW Right, Mr Abbott's power base, say the PM's long-term future would be aided if his chief of staff Peta Credlin were shifted from his office.
One frontbencher, an Abbott loyalist, said Ms Credlin's control over the Prime Minister's Office was stifling the running of the Government, suffocating Mr Abbott's persona and causing widespread resentment.
NSW Senator Arthur Sinodinos said his support for Mr Abbott was "not unconditional" and depended on "his performance, his courage and his capacity to make the right calls".
MPs contacted by _The West Australian _ described the mood in the party as toey, uncertain and depressed, with fears that the leadership issue would dog the Gov-ernment until dealt with.
Former PM John Howard said his support for Mr Abbott was "strong" but former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett said Mr Abbott's leadership was "terminal".
Mr Kennett said he was worried that NSW Premier Mike Baird, who faces voters next month, would be at risk if the debate continued.
WA Liberal Dennis Jensen and Queenslanders Warren Entsch, Mal Brough and Andrew Laming publicly favour resolving the leadership issue next week when Parliament resumes.
