Good news in Oz (maybe they can see through this nonsense)
New federal Liberal leader Tony Abbott says he is 'humbled and daunted' by what lies ahead for himself and his party.
Mr Abbott says he also feels 'proud and exhilarated' at the prospect of leading the party into a federal election.
But he admitted there were wounds in the party that needed to be healed.
'I have said to my colleagues that I will do my best to be a consultative ... leader,' he told reporters during his first press conference as leader.
'Political parties don't work when people just announce what they're doing and expect everyone else to follow.'
Mr Abbott paid tribute to Malcolm Turnbull, the man he ousted as leader.
'I've known Malcolm for a long time,' he said.
'We have sometime been sparing partners, but we have mostly been friends.'
His respect and admiration for Mr Turnbull had grown 'enormously' during the past few months.
'Malcolm has shone in adversity.'
Mr Abbott said he was not afraid to fight an election on climate change policy.
'And I am not frightened of an election on this issue, I really am not frightened of an election on this issue.'
Mr Abbott said it had been a 'tumultuous week' for the Liberal Party.
'Obliviously it's been a big day for me, it's been a tough day for some of my colleagues,' he said.
'I do feel humbled and daunted by what's ahead.'
The Liberal party room had decided in a secret ballot to seek a deferral of a Senate vote on Labor legislation setting up the carbon pollution reduction scheme and, failing that, vote it down.
'We will seek to refer the legislation to (a Senate) committee for further scrutiny,' Mr Abbott said.
'If in the end we cannot get the support of the crossbenches for that course of action we will oppose the legislation in the Senate this week.'
That was the right thing to do, Mr Abbott said.
'This emissions trading scheme legislation, which is really an energy taxation scheme, does deserve the most rigorous scrutiny by this parliament,' he said.
'We can't just wave that through the parliament.'
Deputy leader Julie Bishop congratulated Mr Abbott on winning the leadership vote.
'He is a personality, a character, a fighter, and I'm honoured to be able to serve as his deputy,' she told reporters.
'As Tony said, we will have a contest at the next election whenever that may be.'
Ms Bishop said there was no need to have the ETS legislation rammed through the parliament ahead of the UN Copenhagen climate summit.
Mr Abbott said the coalition would continue to support the emission reduction targets set by the government.
The government wants to reduce emissions by a minimum five per cent by 2020, with the option of extending it to 25 per cent depending on global outcomes.
'We do want to reduce our emissions and those targets stand,' he said.
'We will have a strong and effective climate change policy, it just won't be this ETS.'
http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/ar ... ?id=400483