Nature Positive: Tanya Plibersek rules out ‘climate trigger’ after Prime Minister’s intervention

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has ruled out inserting a “climate trigger” into her Nature Positive laws, falling into line behind Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he intervened to take the Greens-backed policy off the table. “The Prime Minister and the Australian Labor Party are not going to amend the Bill to include what’s called a climate trigger — this is something that the Greens have been asking for,” she told Sky News on Thursday. “We’re not going to do it because the safeguard mechanism is the way that we deal with carbon emissions in this country.

“It’s bringing down carbon emissions ...



and we’re not going to have two different ways of dealing with carbon pollution, one in the safeguard mechanism and one in the environment laws. “That’s just common sense.” Ms Plibersek’s comments ruling out using both climate and environment laws to manage pollution also appears to shut the door to the idea of “climate considerations”, which the Greens have offered an alternative to a firm “climate trigger”.

That all but kills off any prospect of a Labor-Greens deal to pass the Nature Positive laws currently before the Senate, which would establish a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The comments to Sky News follow days of mixed signals from Ms Plibersek and Mr Albanese over Labor’s contentious Green agenda. Dan Jervis-Bardy Ms Plibersek over the past week repeatedly left the door open to the Greens and their calls for “climate considerations”, prompting Mr Albanese to intervene to rule it out.

Asked on Thursday if she and Mr Albanese, her long-time internal Labor rival, were “cool”, she said: “Yeah, always”. The EPA is listed in the Senate on Thursday but is unlikely to be brought on for debate. With a deal with the Greens and crossbench now appearing extremely unlikely, Labor’s hopes of passing the Bill rest with the Coalition.

Dan Jervis-Bardy and Ellen Ransley A defiant Ms Plibersek said she hadn’t given up on delivering Labor’s 2022 election promise. It is understood the minister held talks with the Coalition, Greens and independents on Wednesday. “My door’s still open.

I’m continuing to talk with senators, and I’d like to see this Bill passed,” she said. More to come.