 On 23 November 2009 , the Coalition 's climate change spokesman Ian Macfarlane agreed to a deal with the government to amend the ETS legislation . The amendments provided industry with substantial compensation and exemptions from the ETS . Turnbull took the deal to Liberal MPs for formal approval , but a majority of backbenchers opposed it . Turnbull nonetheless claimed he had the Coalition 's support , by counting as supporters the 20 members of the Coalition Shadow Cabinet who he argued should be presumed to support the deal . This claim was met with rancour by his opponents in the Coalition . 
