Coalition in disarray on ETS

Senior Coalition figures are at odds about the proper response to the ETS vote next month. Tony Abbott has urged coalition MPs to pass the ETS to avoid a double dissolution:

The one-time leadership opponent to Mr Turnbull has turned into his staunchest public defender and has appealed to Liberal MPs to "allow" the Opposition Leader to exercise his assessment on emissions trading and to save the Coalition "from a fight it can't win".
…
Although Mr Abbott believes an emissions trading scheme won't cut global carbon emissions and that it will cost jobs, the conservative Liberal frontbencher and Howard government minister has called for Liberals to pass the ETS in the Senate and avoid a double-dissolution election.

But at the same time, Nick Minchin has said that the Coalition will block the ETS:

"We don't think parliament should be presented with legislation on this subject until after we know the outcome of Copenhagen," Mr Minchin said.

"We will vote against this legislation in August, as will every other non-government senator."

Interesting times.

Read it here.