CLIMATE CHANGE BILL’S FAILURE TOPPLES AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM TURNBULL

Turnbull waves goodbye after a news conference in Canberra today.

By Michael Bastasch

Australia has a new prime minister after the governing coalition refused to support global warming-related legislation pushed by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Turnbull stepped down Friday as a vote of no confidence loomed. Turnbull has been replaced by Scott Morrison, who helped craft Australia’s strict immigration policy and a more conservative member of Parliament.

Former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was expected to replace Turnbull, but lost in an upset ballot. Morrison beat Dutton in a 45 to 40 vote Friday.

“There was a determined insurgency from a number of people both in the party room and backed by voices, powerful voices, in the media,” Turnbull said Friday, according to CNN.

Turnbull’s leadership came into question when his conservative coalition government split over proposed legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to comply with the Paris climate accord.

Turnbull’s so-called National Energy Guarantee would have reduced energy sector emissions 26 percent by 2030 as part of Australia’s Paris accord pledge. But he couldn’t get support from a group of conservative members of Parliament led by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Full story at the Daily Caller