Missing in all the political commentary or reports about Tony Abbott's "pledged in blood" spoiler role for the future of the carbon trading scheme ("don't buy into it, companies, we're going to revoke it") I haven't yet seen anyone mention the person in the Liberals who must be absolutely grinding his teeth over this.
I refer, of course, to Malcolm Turnbull.
Not only has he had to go along with the vote against the legislation, he now has to sit back for 2 to 3 years while his leader charges ahead with "maintaining the rage" against it. This must surely cause him some despair.
I wonder: will this be enough to push him over the edge in future? Let's face it, there are enough climate change deniers in the Coalition that must give Malcolm the pip, but he was probably at least hoping that after the scheme was in place, he didn't have to put up with listening to them anymore. But now, it is going to again be a live issue in the lead up to the next election.
What is the best he can hope for? That the companies who have to buy permits will, in the run up to the next election, tell the Coalition to face reality and let the scheme continue? That the public will react against the loss of compensation? Some (more) really bad weather internationally will convince more people that really adverse climate change is already upon us?
If Abbott resists the obvious reasons for not dismantling the scheme, surely it will fill Malcolm with despair.
Could he breakaway before the election on this issue? Become an independent, or even form a new par1ty: one that actually takes science and economists seriously? He might even get to re-run his Republican campaign again.
I hope he is giving these sort of options some thought. He may as well start planning now.
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