Labor and the Greens have challenged the government to call a double dissolution election after the Senate defeated a bill to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for a second time.

The Senate voted down the bill on Wednesday 35 votes to 28, with the opposition, Greens and Independent senator Nick Xenophon all opposed to the scrapping of the profitable $10 billion corporation, which invests in renewable energy technology.

But Treasurer Joe Hockey has instead lashed out at Labor and the Greens for ''defying'' the judgment made by voters at the last election and said the government would introduce the repeal bill for a third time next week.

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam threw down the challenge in the Senate on Wednesday, calling on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to call an early election on climate change policy.

''Prime Minister Abbott if you really believe that this is absolute crap and that the Clean Energy Act is going to wipe Whyalla off the map, how’s that working out?'' he said.

''If you really believe that renewable energy can't deliver, then here is the double dissolution election trigger you’ve been waiting for.

The government will reintroduce a bill to abolish the CEFC next week.''
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australians would prefer to see Mr Abbott keep the budget promises he made before the election and dared him to pull the trigger on a double dissolution election.

''Tony Abbott is all talk - if he wants an election, he should bring it on,'' Mr Shorten said.
''He won't even talk to people in the street about how much this budget is hurting them, let alone face their anger at the ballot box.''
Poll: Should Tony Abbott call a double dissolution election?
Yes
92%
No
8%

At least this time around we have been given an opportunity to see the Liberals for what they really are, instead of all the outrageous lies they told before the election.

Bring on the double dissolution and we'll find out if what they claim the Australian people want is really what the Australian people want. My guess is that it isn't, and Abbott would be out, with no real prospect of ever being returned. And Australia will be all the better for it.

Labor Senator Louise Pratt said: ''The abolition Bills in front of us today are nothing more than a misguided ideological position of a seriously misguided government.

''The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has been and should continue to be a clear success in driving investment, reducing carbon pollution and boosting the government bottom line.''

One of these days Poirot might actually say something, rather than just snipe with nastiness. Most would be amazed, but it might happen.

I wonder who feeds 579 the garbage they push. It is obviously not from them.

Come off it Paul, your lot were jerking Gillard's strings when that stuff was passed, you can't claim it was not yours. Actually you probably can, telling bland lies is standard for Greens, isn't it.

Gawd,, SM...love yer new fan, Lester1!

Lester1,

"Good point Shadow Minister about it being JULIAR who instigated the school chaplaincy programme..."

Oh really?

Johnny Howard "instigated" it in 2007...the Gillard govt passed fresh legislation to keep it going after the High Court challenge in 2012.

Of course, Abbott took it a step further and scrapped funding to non-religious councellors under the National School Chaplaincy Program.

Why exclude non-religious councellors from funding, many of whom are likely to have more expertise and qualifications to address student problems than a "chaplain"?

SM,

Abbott is an embarrassing lying prat...aided and abetted by a crooked Speaker and a whining mincing Leader of the House to shut down debate.

You must admire SM's addiction, albeit he lives in history. Australians are more concerned with now and the immediate future.

Yes it seems SM has a fan, Lester 1. We all need someone sooner or later. Now lets return to the issue at hand, and try and find some Abbott triumpets.

Clive Palmer has signed a commercial lease for office space at the National Press Club building in Canberra, suggesting the conservative populist plans on staying in federal politics for at least the six-year terms of his new senators.

The development came as Prime Minister Tony Abbott appeared to wind back his implied threat of a double-dissolution election if his budget measures are blocked, arguing he would negotiate a way forward on most matters.

That raises the possibility of compromises on unpopular budget measures and could lead to changes such as a lower GP co-payment or exempting children under 13 or concession card holders from the proposed $7 fee

Almost every Labor question on Tuesday was about the promises on education, health and pensions that were allegedly broken in the budget; and how, when rich city women were to be given $50,000 to have babies.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey are defending accusations of untrustworthiness, saying their first budget was “fundamentally honest” and drafted in good faith
“This government was elected on web deceit; they lied to get into office.

This makes cost of living so much worse for Australian families. It is an attack on pensioners, and worst of all, it is the trashing of Medicare.

“This is a massive $80 billion hit to schools and hospitals, these are not areas you are able to cut without taking a massive hit to frontline services.