Senator Joyce says the Nationals are opposed to any ETS during an economic slowdown.

But ahead of this week's House of Representatives vote on the Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, the Opposition Leader said yesterday he had "no doubt" Australia would get an emissions trading scheme.

 

Mr Turnbull fired a shot across the bows of his Coalition colleagues in the Nationals and climate change sceptics in his own party, warning voters will expect Australia "to follow suit as part of an effective global agreement" if the US develops an ETS of its own.

Senator Joyce slammed discussions on the legislation.

"It's just like saying what limb of your body to you want us to cut off, and we say none of them," he said.

"And you say oh well, I'll have to go and talk to somebody else to see what limb we're going to cut off."

He called the ETS proposals "a piece of policy that comes direct from the manic monkey cafe of inner-suburbia nirvana-ville straight to you."

And he repeated his line ETS stood for "employment termination scheme".

"An ETS in the middle of this recession would have to be the most ridiculous piece of policy that you could possibly go forward with," he said.

His tough talk was backed by NSW National John Williams.

“The Nationals have made it quite clear, my leader Barnaby Joyce in the Senate has said no, no, no , which means no,” he said.

When asked about Mr Turnbull's view that Australia would have an ETS, Senator Williams said: “Let's see what he puts up.”

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong confirmed the Government would continue discussions with the Greens, Independent Nick Xenophon and Family First's Steve Fielding in an effort to steer the ETS legislation through the Senate.

But she also said the Government was "willing to have a discussion with the Coalition”, despite Mr Turnbull's call to delay the ETS until after the December Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change finalises global targets for emissions cuts.

Senator Wong said the Government's proposed ETS was designed to have links with existing schemes, such as the one operating in Europe, or schemes yet to be put in place.

"Mr Turnbull knows that," she said. "He's misleading people because he wants to justify a position of delay because he currently cannot control the votes in his party room.”