7.32pm: Tomorrow will be another huge day in Canberra, with Malcolm Turnbull clinging frantically to his position and the Government desperate to get the CPRS through the Senate before Kevin Rudd meets with US President Barack Obama early next week. We’ll be continuing our coverage of this extraordinary political story in the morning. For in-depth news coverage tonight got to The Australian.
7.30pm: Government Leader in the House Anthony Albanese says that under an agreement made with Malcolm Turnbull the CPRS will be voted on by 3.45pm tomorrow. There will not be a motion to move a guillotine of the debate tonight.
7.10pm: Malcolm Turnbull is standing firm. He has just told a press conference “this is about the future of our planet and the future of our children, and their children… this is about risk management… saying we’re not going to do anything about climate change is irresponsible.” He said the CPRS had the support of the “overwhelming majority” of the Coalition partyroom. “Most people who doubt the science also know that it makes sense to take out insurance… I believe we must maintain this course of action… I am committed to it, we must be a party committed to action on climate change.”
6.53pm: Opposition whip Michael Johnson reported to be about to resign.
6.50pm: Barnaby Joyce says: “We either lose Malcolm, or we lose all our voters.”
6.44pm: Malcolm Turnbull will hold a press conference at 7pm.
6.44pm: “I told you so,” says Wilson Tuckey.
6.34pm: Looking unlikely Turnbull will support a move to guillotine the debate.
6.28pm: Samantha Maiden from The Australian Tweets: Minchin greeted with applause as enters the senate party room.
6.25pm: Sophie Mirabella says “I was prepared to demote myself to vote against it.” She also says she had a “civil conversation” with Malcolm Turnbull in advance of her announcement. Mirabella said of possible plans to guillotine debate in the Senate as “very unwise and not in good faith.”
6.05pm: Liberal senators will hold a partyroom meeting at 6.30pm where Liberal powerbroker Nick Minchin is expected to formally stand down from the opposition front bench.
6.02pm: Reports Malcolm Turnbull has agreed with the Government to guillotine debate on the CPRS in the Senate and push the vote through tonight. High risk maneuver.
5.59pm: Some wags are quick off the mark. See new Twitter account http://twitter.com/tonyabbottpm.
5.55pm: Reports Steve Parry, the Chief Opposition whip, will resign.
5.48pm: Reports Eric Abetz he’ll resign.
5.40pm: Sky News reports a leadership ticket of Tony Abbott and Tony Smith is being put together
5.36pm: Sophie Mirabella announces she’s quit the Opposition front bench
5.35pm: Government MPs have been called back to Parliament
5.15pm: Tony Abbott announces he’s quit the front bench because he could not vote for the Emissions Trading Scheme. Says it is not about leadership. Nick Minchin also expected to quit the front bench.
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