▁than ▁expected ▁underlying ▁rate ▁of ▁infl ation ▁of ▁ 3 ▁per ▁cent . ▁Tre as urer ▁Peter ▁Cost ello ▁argued ▁against ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁interest ▁rates , ▁saying ▁the ▁Reserve ▁Bank ▁should ▁concent rate ▁on ▁the ▁head line ▁consumer ▁price ▁index ▁( C PI ) ▁infl ation ▁rate ▁which ▁rose ▁of ▁ 1 . 9 ▁per ▁cent ▁for ▁the ▁period . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers y ▁arose ▁over ▁the ▁Co al ition ' s ▁climate ▁change ▁policy , ▁with ▁The ▁Fin an cial ▁Review ▁cit ing ▁" g overn ment ▁sources " ▁who ▁claimed ▁Turn b ull ▁told ▁Cab inet ▁six ▁weeks ▁ago ▁it ▁should ▁sign ▁the ▁Ky oto ▁Pro tocol . ▁Ne ither ▁Howard ▁nor ▁Turn b ull ▁denied ▁the ▁story . ▁The ▁story ▁said ▁that ▁" internal ▁critics " ▁are ▁claim ing ▁Turn b ull ▁is ▁" self ish ly ▁position ing ▁himself ▁for ▁a ▁Co al ition ▁defeat " ▁and ▁a ▁" possible ▁post - p oll ▁leadership ▁battle ▁with ▁Tre as urer ▁Peter ▁Cost ello ". ▁The ▁story ▁led ▁to ▁claims ▁of ▁major ▁spl its ▁in ▁Cab inet . ▁ ▁Labor ▁also ▁suffered ▁from ▁mixed ▁messages . ▁Kevin ▁Rud d ▁was ▁comp elled ▁to ▁clarify ▁Labor ▁policy ▁on ▁climate ▁change ▁after ▁an ▁interview ▁in ▁which ▁Peter ▁Gar rett ▁suggested ▁Labor ▁would ▁sign ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁post - K y oto ▁agreement ▁at ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁even ▁if ▁carbon - em itting ▁developing ▁countries ▁did ▁not . ▁Rud d ' s ▁comments , ▁which ▁he ▁described ▁as ▁having