In a significant shift, the Australian Greens party has dropped its demand for a climate trigger to be included in the government’s embattled Nature Positive legislation. The surprising concession comes as the minor party seeks to reignite stalled negotiations with the Labor government and secure passage of the bills before year’s end.
Under the revised Greens proposal, the party is now prepared to support the legislation in exchange for a nationwide ban on native-forest logging, a long-standing priority for the environmentally focused political party. This marks the second major compromise from the Greens in recent days, following a similar move to moderate demands on the government’s Help to Buy housing scheme.
Shifting Positions in Pursuit of Progress
The Nature Positive bills, a cornerstone of the Labor government’s environmental agenda, have been languishing in legislative limbo due to opposition from the Greens, who until now had insisted on the inclusion of both a climate trigger and a logging ban. However, with time running out in the parliamentary calendar and pressure mounting to deliver tangible results, the Greens have blinked first.
The PM might not be willing to budge but the Greens are if it’s in the best interests of our environment. For this reason, we have offered the Albanese government passage of their Nature Positive bills in return for real action to save our native forests and critical habitat.
– Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens Senate Leader
The Greens’ tactical retreat on the climate trigger is a calculated gamble aimed at securing a win on forest protection while the political window remains open. With an election looming in 2025 and the government keen to showcase its environmental credentials, the timing may be ripe for a deal.
The Case for Forest Conservation
For the Greens, the fight to end native-forest logging remains a top priority. The party argues that the practice has caused immense ecological damage and imperiled countless species, a view shared by many environmental scientists and activist groups.
Closing the legal loopholes that allow large-scale native forest logging and land clearing to go unassessed will have tangible impacts for the protection of critical habitat in Tasmania, NSW, and northern Australia, where deforestation is out of control.
– Nick McKim, Greens Forests Spokesperson
A nationwide ban on native-forest logging would be a landmark achievement, building on recent victories such as Western Australia’s decision to end the practice by 2024. However, such a move is likely to face fierce resistance from the forestry industry and resource-dependent regional communities.
Staring Down the Business Lobby
The Greens’ decision to abandon the climate trigger demand comes in the face of intense lobbying from peak business groups, particularly in the mining and resources sector. These powerful interests have vehemently opposed any move to subject new projects to climate impact assessments, arguing it would stifle investment and job creation.
While the government has thus far resisted the push for a climate trigger, leaving the door open to its potential inclusion had become a major stumbling block in negotiations. By taking the contentious issue off the table, the Greens are hoping to clear the way for a more focused discussion on forest protection.
The Path to a Deal
With the Greens’ revised offer now on the table, the ball is firmly in the government’s court. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his cabinet must weigh the political risks and rewards of acceding to the logging ban against the imperative of delivering on their environmental mandate.
Should Labor agree to the Greens’ terms, it would mark a significant victory for the minor party and a major step forward in the protection of Australia’s precious native forests. However, any deal is likely to come with strings attached, as the government seeks to balance competing interests and regional sensitivities.
For now, all eyes will be on the coming weeks as negotiations between the two parties enter a critical phase. With time ticking down and pressure building on all sides, the stage is set for a defining moment in Australia’s environmental politics – one that could shape the nation’s landscape for generations to come.
