Malcolm Turnbull uses Parliament return for portrait unveiling to slam ‘ludicrous’ Coalition energy debate

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has used his return to Parliament for the unveiling of his official portrait to criticise the “ludicrous” and “insane” debate Coalition were locked in on climate change.

Mr Turnbull said the party had “fundamental problems” and accused the current members of trying to appease people on the right wing, in the echo chambers of social media and fans of “Sky After Dark” TV programs.

As former and current Coalition members listened in — including Opposition Leader Sussan Ley — Mr Turnbull said it defied common sense if energy policy wasn’t guided by engineering and economics.

“It’s interesting now that we’re still having the same insane conversations on the right of politics about energy,” Mr Turnbull told the crowd.

“I mean, it really is ludicrous. When I was Prime Minister, I used to say — tediously, for short of everyone who listens to me — energy policy should be determined by engineering and economics, not ideology and idiocy. That’s kind of common sense,” he said.

“But nothing’s changed. Here we are. We’re 10 years since I became Prime Minister. Denial is still all alive but fortunately, the clean energy transition is going along.”

It comes after weeks of Coalition divisions on climate policy which prompted Opposition to ditch its commitment to net-zero emissions targets by 2050 in favour of a new energy policy.

It also emerged early on Thursday that the Coalition had also failed to strike a deal with Labor on the overhaul of Australia’s outdated environmental laws, with the government instead getting it over the line with The Greens.

Mr Turnbull — a well-known moderate who struggled against the conservative wing of his own party — said it was “really sad” current members were chasing the approval of a small section of Australia.

“If I had to diagnose the fundamental problem of what’s going on within the Coalition at the moment… There’s a group of people… who think the object of politics is to win the approval of a relatively narrow part of what you might call the right wing,” he told reporters after the ceremony.

“Sky After Dark. And fellow travellers on social media and radio. So, they’re running on culture war issues, on reality denial. It’s really sad.

“This is always an issue. It was an issue in my time. But it’s just got worse and worse and worse.

“You can see from the electoral results, you can see from the polling, it doesn’t work.”

Mr Turnbull also used his speech to raise the threats to democracy abroad and the need for “respectful” debate amongst the “madness”.

“The challenges to democracy are very real,” he said.

“We see what is happening in the United States, and it shapes every assumption that we have had.

“We look at what is happening in Europe. Look at the challenges in our own region.

“Democracy is under siege, but here in Australia, I believe it is stronger than just about anywhere else.”

After watching from the sidelines, alongside shadow environment minister Angie Bell and Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam, Ms Ley walked over to congratulate Mr Turnbull on the portrait.

As she shook his hand, Ms Ley said”: “I heard all your remarks and they were very good”.

Asked about their interaction off stage, Mr Turnbull said: “All I said was hello to her”.

Renowned artist Jude Rae had been tasked to immortalise the former Liberal PM, with her work to be featured in the hallways of Parliament House in the Historic Memorials Collection.

The painting etched Mr Turnbull on a gold backdrop, standing in a pose which somewhat resembles the popular online 6-7 trend.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave a speech ahead of the unveiling, and said the work was a tribute to Mr Turnbull’s character.

A crowd had gathered to watch the unveiling, including his former Liberal ministers Julie Bishop, George Brandis, and Christopher Pyne, alongside ex-Deputy PM Michael McCormack.

Mr Turnbull thanked his former staff, including four attending chiefs of staffs for supporting him at the ceremony in Parliament House.

The collection was established in 1911 and includes portraits of other former politicians, Heads of State, Governors-General, and Chief Justices of the High Court of Australia.

Mr Turnbull’s painting took five sittings, which Ms Rae said was a “memorable” and “challenging experience” but one she found a “great honour”.

“Any portrait is a collaboration of sorts,” she said.

“The task for the painter is to see something beyond what is presented. And as we think collaborations, this requires a certain trust, and I’m always very pleased when this emerges in the work.”

The portrait marks Ms Rae’s fourth in the collection, with previous work including paintings of ex-Australian Governor-General David Hurley and former Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.