from politicoz ….

For much of yesterday afternoon, Fairfax papers were reporting that Labor was going to back the repeal of the carbon tax, while the Australian was reporting that the party would resist moves to axe the tax, and the Guardian was saying Labor hadn't yet made up its mind.

The confusion was not the fault of the news outlets.

"Labor has not 'backflipped' on the carbon tax," wrote the Guardian's Lenore Taylor.

"'Backflip' implies a clear reversal of position. A more apt description for Labor's current state would be 'flailing around.'"

Rather than hold fire until shadow cabinet agrees on a course of action, MPs are road-testing various positions with journalists. Labor is sending mixed signals on carbon strategy, with predictable effects.

A new report by the Climate Change Authority should provide some scientific context for all MPs as they weigh up their responsibilities on climate change. It will recommend that Australia deepen its emissions cuts from 5% to at least 15% by 2020, in order to meet the targets required globally, according to the science.

At the moment, neither major party is concerned with the science.