Albanese Rejects Climate Impact Assessments and Forestry Exemptions Amidst Ongoing Environmental Legislation Negotiations

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected demands from the Greens and some Senate crossbenchers to include climate-impact assessments for development projects and remove forestry exemptions from environmental protection laws.

This issue has arisen as the government negotiates with parties on both sides of the political spectrum on stalled legislation to establish an environmental protection authority (EPA). While Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is engaging in talks with various groups, including the Coalition and the Greens, Albanese has clarified that adding climate considerations to project approvals is not on the table.

Despite the Greens’ hopes for a compromise, Albanese seems focused on reaching a deal with the Coalition. He has prioritized other legislation, like aged care reforms, and appears willing to wait on environmental negotiations.

Sarah Hanson-Young, the Greens’ environment spokesperson, criticized Albanese for catering to the mining industry, particularly in Western Australia, where Labor is working to retain its seats from the 2022 election. She called on the prime minister to choose between protecting the environment or aligning with mining interests.

Tanya Plibersek, during a speech to the Minerals Council, hinted at potentially adding climate impacts to environmental considerations but maintained that the government’s main tool for addressing climate issues remains the safeguard mechanism.

She acknowledged that climate considerations are part of the broader parliamentary discussions but avoided making any firm commitments. Opposition leader Peter Dutton also spoke at the event, arguing that a deal between the Greens and Labor would harm the party politically in Western Australia, suggesting that the prime minister would avoid that risk.

Amidst these negotiations, there appears to be tension between Albanese and Plibersek’s positions. While Albanese has reportedly considered stripping decision-making powers from the proposed EPA to make it a compliance-only body, a move to gain Coalition support, Plibersek has hinted at taking a firmer stance on climate triggers.

Shadow Environment Minister Jonathon Duniam pointed out these conflicting approaches as signs of ideological division within the government.

The Greens and several crossbench senators, including David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe, have offered to support the government’s EPA bills in exchange for key amendments. Their demands include strengthening the EPA’s independence, ending the exemption for logging covered by regional forest agreements, and including climate considerations in environmental assessments.

Additionally, they advocate for increased involvement of First Nations knowledge and expertise in environmental governance. These issues remain central to the ongoing negotiations over the environmental legislation.