Government strikes deal with Greens to pass environmental law reforms

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Sweeping changes to the nation's environment laws are about to pass parliament after the Prime Minister sidelined the coalition and struck a late-night deal with the Greens. It's a win for the government after a years-long impasse but as parliament prepares to rise Labor’s climate credentials have taken a hit.

Transcript

00:00Every Prime Minister's destiny is to be framed and hung.

00:08The 29th drawing impression from the left while offering dark realism on the right.

00:14There's a major problem on what used to be called the right of politics.

00:19I mean I think they've lost their way.

00:21Labour found a way to a deal not with the Coalition but the Greens

00:25to pass its long awaited overhaul of decades old environment laws.

00:29I describe this as a great win for the environment and a great win for business.

00:34The changes to speed up approvals for housing and renewables projects

00:38and set up an independent watchdog with hefty fines.

00:41The Greens were very constructive.

00:44We are the true opposition in this country.

00:47Good faith conversations were being had as late as 9.30 last night.

00:52The Coalition criticising concessions to the Greens

00:55to tighten environmental standards for native forestry

00:58and to exempt coal and gas projects from a new fast-tracked approvals pathway.

01:04A dirty deal done with the Greens party.

01:07Tying gas projects up in red and green tape is not in the national interest.

01:12It could have been better from an industry point of view

01:15but it could have been a lot worse.

01:16The man who wrote the landmark review of the outdated laws elated.

01:21We've waited five years for this.

01:23This is a government that is focused on delivery.

01:27But struggling to meet key targets.

01:30Emissions projections show that additional work will be needed to get to the 2035 target.

01:35That's an understatement. Emissions are falling but nowhere near fast enough.

01:40Australia on track to fall well short of the 10-year target.

01:44The Minister loves playing the blame game.

01:48The Coalition.

01:50International markets.

01:52Anyone but himself.

01:54Labor has enjoyed huge political success this year

01:57and ends the parliamentary year on a high.

02:00Finishing unfinished business from its first term.

02:03But as MPs return home for Christmas,

02:05today's climate figures were an unwelcome reminder

02:08that there's still a lot of hard work to be done

02:11to bring down emissions and power prices.

02:14It seems to be a real long way.

02:16Let's begin with the Thirty Lupe Festival.

02:30The First Terminal cuántics is a natural term.

02:33We've established a natural term and for most of the following years.

02:35The first term of 1980 is a natural term.

02:37The First Terminal West.

02:38The Second Terminal West.

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