Pressed on whether he personally thought the government scheme had merit, Mr Turnbull said: ''The best thing that I can say is not to take a personal view and just simply say that the Coalition's policy is to be opposed to it. I'm part of the collective, I'm a member of the shadow cabinet''.

Mr Turnbull also highlighted Mr Abbott's shift on the issue. Mr Abbott had supported an emissions trading scheme and then ''changed his position and resigned from the shadow cabinet and challenged me for the leadership and was successful''.

But politics was a team sport and ''as long as you are a member of the shadow cabinet … you stick with the team position. So I've given Tony Abbott consistency and loyalty that of course I didn't receive consistently from all of my colleagues while I was leader.

''But I've given him that consistency and loyalty and that's why I'm saying our position is to oppose the Gillard government's carbon tax and I'm not deviating from the Coalition position.''

Former Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull has denied a speech he made last night urging Liberals to accept the science of climate change was a dig at current Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Mr Turnbull lost his leadership of the Liberals to Mr Abbott over the climate change issue, but remains a passionate supporter of taking action to limit global warming.

In a speech last night he said a war was being waged on scientists by "those opposed to taking action to cut emissions, many because it does not suit their own financial interests".

He also argued it was embarrassing to keep referring to Chinese and Indian emissions when Australia's are much higher per capita, and issued a vigorous defence of climate change science.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-22/turnbull-climate-change-support/2806164

Malcolm muttered away from the recording cameras and talked to his hat...

Meanwhile, Gus guessed that Malcolm was pushing this enlightened idea (in total contradiction to Tonicchio's expressed views) forward to make sure the Libs (conservatives ritewingnuts) appeared to to be on top of the things of science... His talk was part of a deliberate shadow cabinet policy using a two-pronged simple tactic: one prong was to let Abbott do the damage to Labor with big silly lies to confuse the dirty peasants (us — the masses in need of a bath) out-there, while in the second prong, "them" (meaning Malcolm and some of his ritewingnuted acolytes) had to appear reasonable with the truth, otherwise they'd all be looking like fools, wouldn't they? That's the way these monkeys massage our political nuts...

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meanwhile, where it also counts...:

Faced with severe pollution, a predicted surge in urbanisation and a struggle to ensure adequate energy supplies to fuel its rapid growth, China has outlined plans to reduce carbon emissions in its latest five-year economic plan.

Carbon trading typically involves the setting of absolute limits on how much carbon dioxide emitters such as industrial enterprises can produce.

Once those are reached they can then purchase the unused emission allowances of other parties who have come in under their limits.

Environmental analysts have said China is keen to get a functioning carbon trading market up and running soon, especially with the expiry of the Kyoto Protocol looming in 2012.

China and other developing nations have not been bound by the protocol to reduce emissions of the gases blamed for global warming and climate change.

http://news.maars.net/blog/2011/07/18/polluted-china-plans-carbon-emissions-trading-scheme/

 Liberals split on climate change: Combet

Former Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull's latest climate change comments are evidence of a rift in Coalition ranks, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says.

Mr Turnbull has used a Sydney lecture to urge Liberals to accept and defend the science of climate change.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has previously questioned the science behind climate change and the role of humans in causing it but has since said he has changed his mind.

Mr Combet said Mr Turnbull's position was no surprise, given he supported the Rudd government's carbon pricing plan.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/liberals-split-on-climate-change-combet-20110722-1hsbs.html#ixzz1Sp6Sp2iW

There was a rift a long time ago... Turnbull's nemesis, Minchin — who made sure Malcolm would lose the leadership of the Liberals (conservatives), has gone from parliament but the press unfortunately is still interviewing him for grabs on the subject. The press should go to hell, as Minchin is no longer a member of parliament... Minchin is loopy — he believes in the bible and dismisses science.