Failure to act now on energy policy will just trigger Groundhog Day | Katharine Murphy

There are several good reasons to adopt the Finkel proposals – unless the Coalition just wants more zero sum bouts with Labor

While politics never sleeps, and the verbiage from Canberra never stops, there has been a strange sense of suspended animation about the last couple of weeks, apart from a mild frenzy on Friday, as rumours circulated of early elections, cancelled parliamentary sittings, and general plague and pestilence.

The reason for Friday’s startle reflex is, of course, the return of the federal parliament for the blockbuster spring session next week.

Related: Energy policy would not be that hard if the government wasn’t hamstrung by ideologues | Simon Holmes à Court

Related: A clean energy target is not 'unconscionable', Tony Abbott. Wrecking climate policy is | Katharine Murphy

Related: Our energy policy: stupidity, economic illiteracy, or sponsored obfuscation? | Tim Buckley

Related: The country is paying for the Coalition's 'adhockery' on energy policy | Chris Bowen