Federal Parliament has voted down an attempt to declare a "climate emergency", with the Morrison government blocking a "grand symbolic gesture" from the Greens, Labor and the crossbench.
Victorian Greens MP Adam Bandt brought on a vote in the lower house on Tuesday, buoyed Labor's announcement it would back the push.
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| A climate change rally sets up outside Parliament House on Tuesday. Credit: Lukas Coch |
Opposition's climate spokesman Mark Butler told colleagues during a caucus meeting on Tuesday morning he would lodge a motion for debate in Parliament declaring the climate emergency, as an internal rift over its future policy settings divides the party following its May election loss.
Mr Taylor said the "emotive language" was ignoring the practical needs of every day Australians.
"Labor is making a huge song and dance about declaring a climate emergency, but refuses to commit to a single policy in this area from the last election," he said.
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| Labor MP Mark Butler and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen |
Following fierce debate late on Monday night at separate factional caucus meetings over comments from frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon last week, Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the party would decide its targets and policy "in accordance with the science".
Seeking to shift attention to what he said was a failing of the Morrison government to achieve a reduction in emission levels, Mr Albanese said: "Our job, as the opposition, is to hold the government to account and we'll continue to do just that."
"We're not the government. News flash, news flash. We're not the government. They are," Mr Albanese said.
Mr Butler told Parliament the window was closing on "our generation's ability, our unique ability, to meet our responsibility to future generations."
"Today we should try to unite as a parliament about why we should be doing something about climate change and why it is so urgent," he said.
Mr Bandt pointed to the United Nations report saying the world was not on track to limit global warming to less than 1.5 degrees.
"Nothing is more urgent than acting when people's lives and livelihoods are under threat," he said.
"We are experiencing record drought, some of our communities have been told to expect they may run out of water in coming months, parts of Australia have been on fire barely two weeks into winter."
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| Greens MP Adam Bandt brought on a motions to declare a climate emergency on Tuesday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen |
Labor caucus also agreed on Tuesday to push for amendments to the government's "big stick" legislation which would give it the power to break-up energy companies who engaged in anti-competitive behaviour.
The opposition had previously opposed the legislation but agreed if it could win an amendment on partial privatisation sections of the laws it was willing to waive it through Parliament.
When questioned as to whether it was a "backflip", Mr Albanese said: "No, it's not. This is very different legislation".
"The fact is that the privatisation issue was the major issue that was a sticking point. There were others as well and they've been worked through and there were other amendments that we will insist on in terms of the legislation".
Links
- Why Declaring A National Climate Emergency Would Neither Be Realistic Or Effective
- John Hewson Urges Liberal Conscience Vote On Climate Emergency
- World 'Gravely' Unprepared For Effects Of Climate Crisis – Report
- Climate Change, Poverty And Human Rights: An Emergency Without Precedent
- Australian Medical Association Declares Climate Change A Health Emergency
- The Making Of An Emergency
- Wollongong Council Declares 'Climate Emergency'
- Australia’s Climate Stance Is Inflicting Criminal Damage On Humanity
- A ‘Climate Emergency’ Was Declared In New York City. Will That Change Anything?
- The City Of Sydney Has Officially Declared A Climate Emergency
- The Climate Crisis Is Our Third World War. It Needs A Bold Response
