A controversial reform to offshore gas project assessments, which was expected to be debated in the Senate this week, has been paused.
Labor’s push to speed up big gas project approvals has put its long-awaited fuel efficiency standards at risk, with the Greens threatening to withhold their support for the scheme to cut car emissions unless Resources Minister Madeleine King backs down., which is likely to rely on crossbench support after the Coalition dubbed it a “ute tax” and warned it would push up the cost of new vehicles.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the government had promised it would not be introduced before parliament went on a break until the middle of May.But a spokesperson for King told this masthead on Tuesday the government was committed to enacting the legislation “as soon as possible”. Traditional owners and the Greens warn this would allow a resources minister to reduce their say on gas projects.
“The sneaky gas loophole clause in this bill will not pass the parliament this week and Labor should drop it permanently,” Hanson-Young said.Warringah MP Zali Steggall has proposed an amendment to the bill that would remove the resources minister’s power to alter environmental regulations. She suggested in parliament on Monday that groups without a genuine connection to the area where projects were proposed were being co-opted by fossil fuel opponents.
“Urgent regulatory reform is needed to address more than a year of uncertainty and delays in the offshore approvals framework,” McCulloch said.
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