A bipartisan approach to energy policy remains elusive despite former Liberal frontbencher Julia Bishop's calls for parliamentary agreement.
The industry needs certainty to make long-term decisions, Ms Bishop said on Tuesday, downplaying suggestions she wanted her colleagues to back their dumped National Energy Guarantee.
"What I was suggesting was that given we have had so much uncertainty surrounding energy policy for so long," she told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"The ground must be fertile for there to be negotiation around energy policy because business is demanding certainty."
The NEG was the only policy that could achieve the "elusive" bipartisanship on energy business is craving, Ms Bishop said.
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However, when asked about Ms Bishop's comments, the prime minister turned the tables to suggest Labor is considering a price on carbon.
"This government will not introduce a carbon tax. We won't introduce a carbon tax," Scott Morrison said.
When questioned whether the opposition would introduce a carbon tax, Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus said "obviously not".
The opposition has flagged further energy policy announcements over coming weeks, with industry specific emissions targets on the table.
When questioned further about the possibility of a price on carbon, Mr Dreyfus refused to weigh in on the debate.
"This is a complex area, it's proved to be very difficult in Australian politics," he told Sky News on Tuesday.
"I'm not going to play the 'rule-in rule-out' ... but we are very clear, we will have strong action on climate change under a Labor government."
