The Albanese government’s signature climate change legislation has cleared the Senate, paving the way for emission reduction targets to become law.
The bill will lock in a 43 per cent greenhouse gas reduction target by 2030 as well as net-zero by 2050.
Labor’s legislation cleared the upper house on Thursday with support from the Greens and key crossbench members, despite calls for more ambitious climate targets.
Labor frontbencher Jenny McAllister said the passage of the bill marked the end of a decade-long climate war.
“The best way to drive down emissions is with policy certainty,” Senator McAllister told the chamber.
The coalition voted against the legislation.
Independent ACT Senator David Pocock secured several amendments including firmer reporting requirements for the responsible minister.
- Pocock secures amendments to Labor climate bill (7 September)
A Greens attempt to increase the 2030 target to “at least 75 per cent” and impose a ban on new coal and gas projects was also shot down.
“We don’t have support for this amendment, spoiler alert,” Greens senator Larissa Waters quipped ahead of the vote.
Senator Pocock also hit out at the government for branding its 43 per cent target as ambitious after modelling showed state and territory targets would reduce Australia’s emissions by 42 per cent.
“If one per cent is ambitious, Australians are going to be asking questions,” he said.
But Senator McAllister said fossil fuels would play “an important part in helping to power communities” during the transition to renewables.
A Nationals push for periodic inquiries by the Productivity Commission also failed, as did a One Nation amendment questioning the link between humans and climate change.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan used his speech to push back against climate targets and the transition to renewable energy.
He told the Senate ambitious emission reduction targets in Europe have led to power shortages.
“It’s an unbelievable situation that a developed country months away from winter beginning cannot guarantee that people will be able to stay warm,” Senator Canavan said.
“Unless something changes it’s not too dramatic to say that almost invariably people will die over the European winter unnecessarily because of these failed, naive, climate change policies.”
The bill will next be sent back to the House of Representatives, where the amendments will be waved through, given Labor has a majority.
The legislation will then be assented into law.
The Albanese government’s original bill passed the lower house in August.
By Dominic Giannini in Canberra
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