The Coalition has not yet accepted an invitation to the negotiating table as talks between the government and Senate crossbench continue over a plan to make big polluters reduce their carbon emissions.
Debate and deal-making over the “safeguard” mechanism – which would make Australia’s largest industrial polluters incrementally cut emissions or face financial penalties – appears set to continue into next week, the last sitting week before the federal budget.
Former Greens leader Bob Brown said the unamended mechanism was too soft on business, and he denounced the Australian Conservation Foundation for taking Labor’s side on the issue.
The bill would require 5 per cent annual pollution cuts, but also allow the use of controversial carbon offsets.
Opportunity knocks
Mr Brown said it was not logical for the Greens to be told to pass the law and then address their concerns with it (he led the party in 2009 when it torpedoed a Rudd government emissions trading scheme that critics say came at the cost of a decade of climate action).
“This is the opportunity to extract something from this irresponsible Albanese government when it comes to climate change,” Mr Brown said on Thursday morning.
“It’s not coming again.
“The idea that somewhere down the line there’ll be some other opportunity in this period of government is daft.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said it was incumbent on the Coalition – which largely designed the policy but without any means of enforcement – to back it in.
“Australians and their economy cannot afford another decade of this Parliament stumbling and stuffing around when it comes to climate change and energy policy,” he said.
Those comments came after Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer said she had become “exasperated” by her party’s unwillingness to negotiate or engage on climate policy.
Coal and gas action
Energy Minister Chris Bowen seized on those comments and said the Coalition could demonstrate to “Australia and to investors around the world” that it was moving towards a serious position on climate change.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said the continued future approval of new coal and gas projects (the emissions from exports do not add to Australia’s emissions under current laws) was still a sticking point.
“Taking action on climate means dealing with the question of coal and gas. Not just saying it can all be offset, but actually ensuring that pollution in this country does not go up,” he said.
The government is aiming to have a compromise legislated by the end of next week.
Assistant Climate Change Minister Senator Jenny McAllister said voters had asked for climate action and it intended to deliver.
