Greens to demand Climate Minister exercise powers to stop new coal and gas in minority Parliament
Greens to demand Climate Minister exercise powers to stop new coal and gas in minority Parliament | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Greens to demand Climate Minister exercise powers to stop new coal and gas in minority Parliament 2025-04-28 The Greens will circumvent the coal-approving Environment Minister in minority Parliament negotiations and demand the Climate Minister exercise as yet unused powers to stop new coal and gas mines.
The Greens will announce their climate demand for minority government negotiations in the electorate of the Environment Minister, who has approved many of the over 30 new coal and gas projects backed by the Labor government since coming to power. The Greens say the use of these latent powers - secured by the Greens in negotiations with the Government over the safeguard mechanism - remove any need for new legislation to pass the Parliament, and also deal with any spurious objection from the Environment Minister that climate-destroying projects like the North West Shelf gas project can still proceed if permitted under environment law.
Labor has approved over 30 new coal and gas projects in their one term in Parliament, and emissions have barely budged from Scott Morrison-era levels, flatlining as rising climate pollution offsets gains made from renewable energy. Safeguard data released last week showed that while overall emissions under the scheme decreased, coal and gas were an outlier with approximately 70% of the facilities covered by the scheme reporting an increase in emissions from the previous year.
Coal mines alone approved by Minister Plibersek in this term will release 2.5 billion tonnes of climate pollution - over five times Australia’s annual emissions, and the equivalent of keeping an average Australian coal fired power station running for over 350 years. Labor’s continued support for some of Australia’s dirtiest gas projects like Barossa, which received final approval just last week and will release 274 mT of pollution, only make this picture worse.
Experts predict a minority government, which means the next parliament may be the one voters hoped for after the 2022 climate election. During negotiations on the Safeguard Mechanism, the Greens introduced a hard cap on the amount of climate pollution permitted under the scheme, and gave the Minister wide-ranging powers over new coal and gas projects. The Greens will seek these powers be exercised so that the permissible pollution from new mines is set at zero and the new mines are unable to purchase offsets for any pollution above that level.
The Greens are releasing Parliamentary Library advice showing that such powers are available to the Climate Minister, and that indeed some projects already have ‘zero baselines’ (but with offsetting available). With polling day imminent, the Greens have now announced five priorities for minority government negotiations: dental into Medicare, reforming negative gearing and CGT discounts, an end to native forest logging, and free and universal early childhood education, alongside stopping new coal and gas.
The Greens say these demands are all practical and achievable in a very short period of time. The Greens’ will make billionaires and big corporations pay more tax to deliver this real cost of living relief. Lines attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP: “In the middle of a climate crisis, Tanya Plibersek has approved new coal mines that will release 2.5 billion tonnes of climate pollution.
If the Environment Minister won’t act, the Greens will get the Climate Minister to do it. “The Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to stop approving new coal and gas mines, because you can’t put the fire out while pouring petrol on it. “Australia is being hit with fires and floods, but Labor has approved over 30 new coal and gas projects and Peter Dutton wants even more.
They talk up renewables but open up coal and gas. Labor are climate charlatans and the Liberals climate criminals. “If you’re worried about climate change, you can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result.
“If you want climate action, you have to vote for it, because it’s clear Labor won’t act on climate unless pushed. “The Greens gave the Climate Minister the power to stop new coal and gas mines with the stroke of a pen, and with more Greens in minority Parliament we’ll get him to use it.” Lines attributable to Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens & Senator for NSW: “Australia is on the frontline of the climate crisis, and every one of Labor’s more than 30 coal and gas approvals puts more people at risk.
“The impacts of the climate crisis are here, people are being devastated and traumatised again and again by climate-driven disasters. The science is clear: tackling the climate crisis means no new coal and gas. With more Greens in parliament, we will get Labor to act so we can power past coal and gas.
“After so much hope following the 2022 climate election, people here in Sydney who backed Labor feel betrayed byAnthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek, who have continued the Liberals’ legacy of opening climate destroying fossil fuel projects. “This election, people are backing the Greens to deliver the outcome we’d hoped for after the last climate election - a parliament that stops new coal and gas.” Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
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