Palmer holds Abbott's legislative agenda to ransom

Shine on you crazy diamond

Mining magnate Clive Palmer is threatening to block all the Abbott government's legislation – even measures he supports such as scrapping the carbon price – unless his party gets more staff and resources. Fairfax

Abbott confident of repealing carbon tax

Labor and the Greens are against the move, so in the new Senate Mr Abbott will have to convince six crossbenchers to pass the legislation.
Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm, Democratic Labour Party Senator John Madigan and Family First's Bob Day also support moves to scrap the tax, but not all of them back the Coalition's carbon reduction policy.
Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has indicated his party supports the repeal but says its three senators will wait to see all bills before guaranteeing support. ABC

Abbott will treat all senators with respect

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has acknowledged it will not be easy to get legislation through the Senate, saying he will have to treat all Senators with respect. ABC

Abbott needs Palmer, Palmer needs Abbott to repeal carbon tax

The other newcomers are Palmer United Party (PUP) senators Glenn Lazarus from Queensland, Jacqui Lambie from Tasmania and Zhenya Wang from Western Australia.
Mr Abbott will be able to count on the three PUP senators, Family First's senator-elect Day and Senator Madigan as all have publicly opposed the carbon tax.
PUP supports reimbursing carbon tax that has already been paid. Fairfax

Palmer v Brough

Clive continues sticking the boot into his old party.  Mal Brough just filed his defence of Palmer's defamation allegations.

In August, Mr Palmer claimed Mr Brough had approached him to fund a sexual harassment case against former Speaker Peter Slipper. Mr Brough denied the claims.

Mr Palmer later lodged an $800,000 defamation suit against the new Member for Fisher. News

In other Clive news,  he won Fairfax by 7 votes.

Midweek roundup: Week 2

What zany antics have Abbott and co been up to now?

• Commonwealth departments being scrapped.
• Scott Morrison isn't telling anyone about boats
• Joe Hockey cleans up after Barnaby Joyce craps on Indonesia.
• Julie Bishop talks to the Tele about clothes, bitchiness, babies, all that girly stuff
• We think eight boats have come but who knows
• Malcolm Turnbull speaks highly of the man who ruined Telstra
• People are being mean and boycotting big business, never fear uncle Eric is on the case
• Christmas Islanders gagged as part of Don't Ask Abbott about Boats
• Naturally we are not to be told if a boat is turned around
• Julie Bishop went to the UN. Did she slum it in business class?
• While there, she received a loud and clear message from Indonesia.
• A people smuggler in jail points out the gaping hole in the boat cone of silence.
• Malcolm Turnbull says bar lease on NBNCo while he comes up with reasons to can it.
• In the meantime they're working on innovative ways to use copper, which isn't outdated at all.
• Christopher Pyne gets in on the action by scrapping uni targets for the disadvantaged and service fees.
• He also decides to that not capping uni places is a non core promise.
• Palmer United in blocking Abbott, but divisions already emerge between Jacquie and Clive.
• Doctors are concerned about rushing asylum seekers through before they can be properly treated.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans. 

Palmer united already divided

PUP wins the Tasmanian Senate spot.  Jacquie Lambie has already flagged disagreement with Palmer over the carbon tax, but has vowed to be a thorn in Abbott's side.

Palmersaurus

Clive Palmer's lead in Fairfax is down to 502 votes according to the AEC.  For the sake of hilarity I sincerely hope he holds on.

AFR has more on why Palmer is Abbott's nightmare.