This bill became law on Sep 13th, 2022.
Climate, energy & environment
Australia’s climate targets are built into the aims and work of existing federal energy, finance and research bodies, so their decisions can help cut emissions over time.
Existing federal energy, finance and research laws did not fully embed Australia’s emissions targets and Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions. commitments, leaving key agencies without clear direction to help deliver them. This bill writes those targets into the aims and functions of major bodies so their decisions, investments and advice can better help cut emissions over time.
Australia already had climate commitments under the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions. and federal bodies such as ARENAA federal body that funds renewable energy research and projects; this bill adds climate-target wording to its jobs and objectives., the Clean Energy Finance CorporationA government-backed investor that finances clean energy projects; the bill links its investment role more directly to climate targets and the Paris Agreement. and the Climate Change AuthorityAn independent federal adviser on climate policy; this bill requires it to take the Paris goals and wider social and economic benefits into account., but their laws did not clearly tie their work to national emissions targets. After the State of the Environment report was made public on 19 Jul 2022 and the new government moved quickly to legislate climate targets, this bill was introduced to align those agencies’ objects and functionsThe legal purposes and duties written into an agency’s Act, which this bill amends so climate targets become part of how bodies operate. with that policy direction, then passed in September 2022 and became law days later.
The main case against the bill was that tying more agency decisions to climate targets and the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions. could slow infrastructure and energy projects, invite legal challenges, and hurt regional jobs, investment and power costs. That criticism came mainly from Coalition speakers, while some Greens and independents supported the bill but said it still lacked stronger coverage, tougher safeguards on fossil fuels and measures such as scope 3 reporting.
Chris Bowen MP introduced this bill. In the House final vote, support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, some crossbench members; opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 13 Sept 2022
Final passage
Recorded final vote
2 counted final-passage votes were recorded.
Passage speed
48 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
Australia’s climate targets are built into the aims and work of existing federal energy, finance and research bodies, so their decisions can help cut emissions over time.
ARENAA federal body that funds renewable energy research and projects; this bill adds climate-target wording to its jobs and objectives. can be given extra jobs covering renewable power, switching equipment from fossil fuels to electricity, and energy-saving technology.
The Clean Energy Finance CorporationA government-backed investor that finances clean energy projects; the bill links its investment role more directly to climate targets and the Paris Agreement.’s investment role is tied more directly to the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions., including backing clean energy technology that can reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
The Climate Change AuthorityAn independent federal adviser on climate policy; this bill requires it to take the Paris goals and wider social and economic benefits into account. must consider the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions.’s core goals, including limiting warming while supporting climate-resilient development, when it does its work.
The Climate Change AuthorityAn independent federal adviser on climate policy; this bill requires it to take the Paris goals and wider social and economic benefits into account. must also look for economic, jobs and social benefits from climate action, including benefits for rural and regional Australia.
The Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022 makes consequential amendments to existing federal legislation in order to support the effective implementation of the Climate Change Bill 2022. It embeds Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets into the objects and functions of a range of Commonwealth entities and schemes, helping ensure those entities and schemes are able to contribute to the delivery of those targets. Some entities, such as those with a research and commercialisation focus, also have a role providing a foundation for Australia to achieve new or adjusted targets over time.Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) explanatory memorandum
Note: Paragraph (f) allows additional functions to be prescribed related to renewable energy technologies as well as electrification technologies or energy efficiency technologies.Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) as-passed bill text
(a) to give effect to the Climate Change Convention and the Paris Agreement, including by investing in clean energy technologies that could reasonably be expected to control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases; andClimate Change (Consequential Amendments) as-passed bill text
and (viii) take account of the matters set out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement; andClimate Change (Consequential Amendments) as-passed bill text
(vix) boost economic, employment and social benefits, including for rural and regional Australia.Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) as-passed bill text
Context
Australia already had climate commitments under the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions. and federal bodies such as ARENAA federal body that funds renewable energy research and projects; this bill adds climate-target wording to its jobs and objectives., the Clean Energy Finance CorporationA government-backed investor that finances clean energy projects; the bill links its investment role more directly to climate targets and the Paris Agreement. and the Climate Change AuthorityAn independent federal adviser on climate policy; this bill requires it to take the Paris goals and wider social and economic benefits into account., but their laws did not clearly tie their work to national emissions targets. After the State of the Environment report was made public on 19 Jul 2022 and the new government moved quickly to legislate climate targets, this bill was introduced to align those agencies’ objects and functionsThe legal purposes and duties written into an agency’s Act, which this bill amends so climate targets become part of how bodies operate. with that policy direction, then passed in September 2022 and became law days later.
State of the Environment report is made public
Speakers on the bill said the report’s release confirmed that climate change was already damaging Australia’s environment, society and economy and added urgency to legislative action.
Hansard ↗Government introduces the bill to align major agencies with climate targets
The minister said the bill would complement the main Climate Change Bill by embedding emissions targets into the objects and functionsThe legal purposes and duties written into an agency’s Act, which this bill amends so climate targets become part of how bodies operate. of key Commonwealth climate, energy and finance bodies.
Hansard ↗House passes the bill with amendments
The House agreed to the bill in principle, accepted non-government amendments in detail and completed its passage through the chamber.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Parliament passes the bill
The Senate passed the bill with an amendment and the House agreed to that change on the same day, completing passage through both Houses.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Bill receives Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament and makes it law.
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament and makes it law. turned the bill into law, formally linking the work of major federal climate and energy bodies to Australia’s legislated climate targets and Paris commitments.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (28/07/2022): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (31/08/2022)
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesThe bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Recorded vote: 87 to 56.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
Recorded vote: 89 to 55.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Recorded vote: 36 to 30.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Committee of the Whole debate
Recorded vote: 37 to 30.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form. The main accepted Senate changes reflected in the final bill were: The introduced and as-passed bill texts differ in 3 observed text blocks. The substantive changes added the Haines amendments on Climate Change AuthorityAn independent federal adviser on climate policy; this bill requires it to take the Paris goals and wider social and economic benefits into account. considerations and the Pocock amendment noting additional ARENAA federal body that funds renewable energy research and projects; this bill adds climate-target wording to its jobs and objectives. functions; other observed changes are consequential numbering and contents-page updates.
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament and makes it law., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against the bill was that tying more agency decisions to climate targets and the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions. could slow infrastructure and energy projects, invite legal challenges, and hurt regional jobs, investment and power costs. That criticism came mainly from Coalition speakers, while some Greens and independents supported the bill but said it still lacked stronger coverage, tougher safeguards on fossil fuels and measures such as scope 3 reporting.
Opposition was real but divided between blocking concerns and complaints that the bill still did too little.
Could obstruct projects and regional jobs
Critics argued the bill could make it harder to advance infrastructure, energy and production projects by forcing agencies to weigh climate targets more heavily, with flow-on risks for regional jobs, wages, investment and electricity prices.
More room for agency overreach and lawfare
Some opponents said the bill was largely symbolic but could shift practical power from parliament to agencies and create openings for activist litigation to delay or challenge investment and development decisions.
Too weak and incomplete to drive real cuts
Supporters on the crossbench and Greens said the bill still did not amount to a credible plan to meet climate goals because it left out stronger controls on fossil fuels, broader agency coverage and measures such as scope 3 emissionsEmissions that come from a product or activity’s wider supply chain and use, which some speakers wanted the bill to address more directly. reporting.
Further sources
Votes
The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
Passed 89 to 55. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Passed 37 to 30. Support came from Labor, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, and UAP. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted no. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Earlier bill-stage votes
Passed 87 to 56. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and Katter's Australian Party. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Passed 36 to 30. Support came from Labor, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, and UAP. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted no. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Amendments grouped by chamber. These cards include amendment outcomes recorded without a counted division.
House
Passed 122 to 9. Support came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, and Centre Alliance. Opposition came from Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
The proposed change was agreed.
Passed 86 to 57. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and Katter's Australian Party. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This cleared the bills for committee stage in the House.
Passed 87 to 56. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This strengthened the bill's target language by explicitly allowing greater ambition beyond the 43 per cent figure.
Passed 89 to 56. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This extended the consequential amendmentsFollow-on law changes that update other Acts so they work consistently with the main climate legislation. framework beyond the initial set of acts and organisations covered in the bill.
Passed 127 to 8. Support came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, and Centre Alliance. Opposition came from Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
The proposed change was agreed.
Passed 128 to 7. Support came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, and Centre Alliance. Opposition came from Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
The proposed change was agreed.
Passed 90 to 54. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Darren Chester (Nationals) voted aye. Nationals had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This added a reporting requirement that pushes the government to explain emissions reduction progress across different sectors.
Passed 89 to 56. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This required ministerial advice connected to the bill to be made public to parliament.
Passed 89 to 56. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This hardened the advisory role of the Climate Change AuthorityAn independent federal adviser on climate policy; this bill requires it to take the Paris goals and wider social and economic benefits into account. before any major future target change.
Passed 88 to 56. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
This tied the authority's advice to the Paris temperature goals and sharpened the climate benchmark used by the bill.
Passed 86 to 50. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
The proposed change was agreed.
The APH progress record says 2 Non-Government amendments were agreed without a counted division being collected by this run.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate, so the bill could pass both chambers in the same form.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Senate
Defeated 13 to 40. Support came from minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted no. Greens had split recorded votes.
The proposed change was not agreed.
Defeated 3 to 45. Support came from One Nation and UAP. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents.
This was a direct challenge to the bill's second-reading case, not a change to the bill text.
Defeated 13 to 41. Support came from Greens and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents.
The defeat left budget papers unchanged and avoided adding a climate-emissions reporting layer to fiscal reporting.
Passed 37 to 26. Support came from Labor, Jacqui Lambie Network, One Nation, UAP, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted no. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
The proposed change was agreed.
Defeated 15 to 47. Support came from Jacqui Lambie Network and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted no. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Defeating the amendments kept those extra reporting and explanation requirements out of the bill.
Defeated 5 to 51. Support came from Jacqui Lambie Network, One Nation, UAP, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Liberal Party, and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Defeating it avoided adding a mandatory cost-benefit and impact-analysis layer to the bill's reporting framework.
Defeated 30 to 33. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor and minor parties and independents. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted aye. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
The defeat meant the bill did not create a recurring Productivity CommissionA federal economic review body that one proposed amendment would have asked to examine regional and rural impacts of the bill. review of climate-policy impacts on rural and regional Australia.
Defeated 17 to 40. Support came from Jacqui Lambie Network, One Nation, UAP, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, and Nationals. One cross-floor vote was recorded: Penny Allman-Payne (Greens) voted no. Greens had split recorded votes. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Defeating it left the Charter of Budget Honesty Act unchanged and avoided a new climate-fiscal reporting duty.
The APH progress record says 1 Independent amendment was agreed without a counted division being collected by this run.
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.
The parliamentary record also shows 2 Non-Government amendments and 1 Independent amendment agreed without a counted division.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Bowen supports the bill, saying it complements the main climate bill by weaving emissions-reduction targets into the work of key Commonwealth bodies and updating the law to reflect the Paris AgreementThe global climate treaty that the bill uses as a reference point for Australia’s targets and for how agencies should make decisions..
Read in Hansard ↗Canavan opposes the bill, arguing it entrenches a costly net zero agenda, weakens Australian industry, and locks the country into dependence on China.
Read in Hansard ↗Waters says the Greens will vote for the bill, but only because it is a small step in the right direction and they were able to improve it through negotiations.
Read in Hansard ↗Steggall supports the bill and says it is an important step toward genuine climate action, but she argues it still needs stronger wording, broader coverage and more ambition.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
22 speakers · 22 support
“The Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022 complements the Climate Change Bill by embedding consideration of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets into the objects and functions of the Commonwealth entities and schemes that could make the greatest contribution to reducing emissions for Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“These bills deserve the parliament's support and I hope to see them pass with multipartisan support.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Australian people know that climate change is real. They still feel the sting in their throat from the horrific bushfires in 2019-20. Some of them are still dealing with the mould and the damp in their homes from the rain inundation we have had over the last couple of years. Climate change is having a direct effect on Australians and their livelihoods now. It is affecting Australian communities, and Australians see that their children's future looks rather bleak unless they have a government that will take climate change seriously and take strong action. They want a government that takes this existential threat seriously and has the mettle to tell the truth to the Australian people about the real threat of climate change and, more importantly, to develop policies that reduce risk in the future. Quite simply, the Australian people want stronger action on climate change, and that is exactly what this bill will deliver.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Climate Change Bill legislates Australia's emissions reduction targets to be achieved by 2030 and by 2050. It makes clear that these targets are a floor, not a ceiling, on our ambition. The bill enhances accountability and transparency through an annual statement to parliament, reporting on Australia's progress towards the targets informed by independent expert advice from the Climate Change Authority. It provides for independent advice from the authority on future targets. The consequential amendments embed consideration of the targets into the objects and functions of a range of Commonwealth entities and schemes, focusing effort and ensuring that they are all pulling in the same direction.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In this place, we deal with legislation on many important issues. However, there is no more important issue than addressing climate change. This bill resets Australia's ambitions, our approach and our commitments on reducing emissions to tackle climate change. That's what the people of Australia voted for at the election, and it is what we must vote for in this place.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“As the minister said in introducing these bills, 2030 is only 89 months away—less than 7½ short years. These bills represent the start of a new chapter in our politics where we tackle this long-vexed issue by enshrining in law a sensible, achievable but still ambitious emissions reduction target. These bills make clear that this government is taking climate action seriously. We are taking the challenge of governing seriously. We are taking the Paris climate agreement and our international obligations seriously. We are taking net zero by 2050 and the 2030 target seriously. We are taking accountability and responsibility seriously. This is a government determined to grasp the enormous opportunities of a green energy future for Australia. We have a new government.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Do you know what this legislation also does? It imposes accountability on government and on this parliament that we have never seen before. The member for Fairfax raised that the minister has talked about the fact that this legislation is not necessary to set a target. Well, of course it is not. We had all sorts of vague targets under the last government. You know what this legislation does? It holds the government to account for getting to that target. That is the part of the legislation he did not talk about. He didn't talk about the part of this legislation that says that there has to be an annual address to the parliament by the climate change minister to ensure that the parliament of the day is required to update the parliament and the country on the progress we are making to meet our climate goals. This legislation includes a mechanism to hold governments to account, including our government, because we believe in accountability and we believe in transparency and we believe that, if you say to the Australian people we are going to do something, you should get held to account about whether or not you do it.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So I implore senators to support this bill today.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Now, as one of our first acts in parliament, we are introducing our Climate Change Bill. This seeks to enshrine in law our nationally determined contribution of 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. This target is a floor, not a ceiling, and it has been backed in by representatives of business and unions, energy users and energy providers, farmers and conservationists. The bill will also explicitly task in law the Climate Change Authority to assess and publish progress against these targets, and advise government of future targets, including the 2035 target.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The purpose of the bill I rise to speak on today is simply to ensure that Australia's emissions reduction targets are recorded not only in international agreements but also in Commonwealth legislation. Providing certainty and demonstrating commitment: that is what this bill will achieve.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is a serious issue, as I said, and we need to make sure that this bill gets through. I'm really disappointed to hear, again, the games that are being played by the opposition, as they were in 2008 during the Rudd government when we had a proposal on the table. As I said, having a stable, clear and coherent policy sends a vital message to the private sector, and that is really important. It sends a message also to the world that Australia is back as a good global citizen. It sends a message that Australia now has a government and a parliament that wants Australia to be a renewable energy powerhouse.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is what this bill will achieve. This bill will put Australia on track for net zero by 2050. No ifs and buts; it will happen. Our Powering Australia plan, which we took to the election, will deliver 604,000 jobs across the country and bring on 82 per cent renewables by 2030. While legislation is not essential to deliver Powering Australia, the Albanese government regards enshrining our national, determined contribution in law as best practice. This bill will proudly bring Australia into line with countries, such as France, Denmark and Spain, which have legislated net zero targets by 2050. Countries such as Canada have also legislated their 2030 targets.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The legislation sets an interim target of a 43 per cent cut in emissions by 2030, and we know we can achieve a 43 per cent cut because it's the outcome predicted by the modelling of our climate change policies. Reaching this target will get Australia well on the way to our ultimate target, also enshrined in these bills, of net zero emissions by 2050. The 43 per cent target, mind you, is a floor and not a ceiling. We can be more ambitious if the circumstances call for it. In addition to these two emissions reduction targets, the bills now before the Senate will provide for an annual statement to parliament from the minister responsible for climate change. The statement will include an update on Australia's progress towards meeting our emissions targets. The bill will also restore the Climate Change Authority to provide independent expert advice to the minister on the annual statement and to provide advice on any new or updated emissions reduction targets to be communicated to the UN under the Paris Agreement.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is our opportunity as a chamber to do better by them, and it's our opportunity to correct one of the fundamental ways in which we are denying the next generation of Australians a better and fairer future. I absolutely commend these bills to the chamber.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The bills are straightforward, positive and powerful. They reflect Australia's obligations under the Paris Agreement, and so I urge the members of this chamber to pass this legislation and to send a clear and positive message to the people of Australia, and to the world, that we are taking real action on climate change.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to speak on the Climate Change Bill 2022. This is a bill that delivers on the government's commitment to restore national leadership on climate change. It provides the certainty and confidence needed to drive the transition to net zero by 2050. A decade has been squandered in ignoring the urgency of the task before us. But now, more than ever before, there is no time to be lost in facing the reality of climate change and how it can devastate our lives.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill sends the signal that the Albanese government is committed to action on climate change—a signal that gives certainty to our region, to investors, to Australian businesses, and to this parliament—because this bill is also a commitment that our government will not just announce a target and hope we get there. We won't use accounting tricks or rely on future technologies that may or may not ever exist. We will be held accountable to our targets, and we will deliver our plan to not just meet them but exceed them. We'll report our progress every year to the parliament on meeting the targets and how our policies are contributing to that success. Our government knows Australia should be a renewables superpower. We know Australia should be leading this global race and securing the jobs of the future for Australian workers, and now we can do just that.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The bill itself delivers on the government's election commitment to restore national leadership on climate change by legislating our targets to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent on 2005 figures by 2030 and to net zero by 2050.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is an excellent first step. This is a floor, not a ceiling. This is the certainty and the mature policy that we need. The bill is a solid foundation, setting clearly and firmly in Australian law our emissions reduction ambition.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“So I am very proud to be standing here in only our second week of parliament debating one of the most important pieces of legislation that this parliament will deal with. We are taking swift action to legislate on the commitment that we made to the Australian people—and the commitment that I made to the people of Macquarie.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The climate change bill makes some significant legislative changes. The first one is to legislate our emissions reduction targets as part of our nationally determined commitments. We are giving certainty to the private sector, which is saying, 'We want the investment of trillions of dollars into renewable energy and into cheap, clean energy with dispatchable power.' We are saying clearly that we want that in Australia and that there is certainty in the market, and that is what the legislation provides.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Climate Change Bill is the bedrock foundation on which Australian climate change policy will be built. This bill will be one the first bricks laid on top of that foundation, but it won't be the last. I commend the bill to the House.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
16 speakers · 16 oppose
“I'm going to have to finish my speech here, but can I just say I will vote against this bill because it is junk science. It has been based on false lies for far too long, and I will continue to fight this to the day I die.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In closing, and I know we have a long night ahead of us because, again, in transparency we are going to push this through and maybe guillotine it at some stage, we won't be supporting these bills because we support Australians. They are founded upon unachievable policy principles, and they will have very, very serious unintended consequences. The government has in no way done adequate consultation. In fact, it looks like they have gone out of their way to not consult those sectors like agriculture, like primary reduction, like forestry that will be so affected by this. They have done no modelling of how this will impact rural and regional communities as they shut down jobs.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I cannot support this legislation. I would hope that the government would, at the bare minimum, consider passing an amendment that would see the Productivity Commission review the legislation and its impact on our nation, that it would do it regularly and that it allows for a pause to be set—as we're seeing is happening in the UK, in Germany, in Europe. They are discovering that the impact of emissions reduction legislation is it's too fast; it just leads to the loss of jobs, to increased electricity prices that will most impact the people in our society who are least able to get around it. The leafy green inner-city seats are not going to be impacted by this. They will be able to pay their way out of the impact of increased cost of food, of electricity—and they may even be able to go without the well-paid jobs that the resources, mining and agricultural sectors provide. This is our responsibility, to look after those people and ensure we don't legislate against them.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“From my perspective as a proud National Party senator and a regional Australian, this bill fails to take into account the impact that legislating the target will have on regional Australia. It fails to appreciate that there are some Australians, some industries, which will be disproportionately impacted by this compared to others. One of the great myths and, I believe, one of the great follies of the public debate over recent years has been that somehow a move towards net zero by 2050 will be painless; it will be sweetness and light; no-one will have a change to their job or an impact on their earnings; and there will be no negative impacts—that, in the words of Helen Haines, it's only going to be upsides and benefits for rural and regional Australia. The fact is that, when we held the committee inquiry into this bill, fast and furious as it was, it wasn't just the National Party saying that rural and regional communities and industries were going to be disproportionately negatively impacted by this; it was the trade unions, one after another, acknowledging that workers in traditional industries like mining, agriculture and manufacturing would be significantly impacted.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“My last point, point 10: nuclear energy. We are seeing, as I mentioned earlier, that Japan is moving back towards reconsidering nuclear. If we are going to adopt this focus in replacing our fossil fuels, we need to look at base power stable energy production. We need to be considering nuclear. It is irresponsible for us to not consider nuclear yet, again, this isn't dealt with in this legislation. So on that basis I will not be supporting these bills.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In summary, the most recent science from recognised global experts refutes the assumptions underpinning the Albanese government's plan that increased investment in variable renewables will deliver abundant cheap power while reducing emissions to net zero. The science highlights that there is a solution. But the point is: we will never know what is possible and effective for Australia unless the prohibition on nuclear power generation is lifted. Australians should demand effective policy that is transparently based on all available evidence. This will only be possible if the government acts to repeal the outdated, ideologically driven barriers to evaluating the option of nuclear power generation. If Australia is serious about achieving net zero while still having affordable, reliable power, with minimal impact on our people and our land, our focus should be more on targeting legislation than on legislating targets.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In summary—look, it is not true that the majority position of the G20 countries is to legislate a target. The Parliamentary Library itself has said that 12 of the 20 countries have not legislated a target. Having said that, I don't think it's necessarily the end of the world if you do it. The point I've made in these remarks is that the key legislative component here, even though it is international law, is done through the NDC, so whatever you do here is simply superfluous. If I was the minister for energy and climate change, or if I was a minister for any portfolio, I would not be describing my own legislation as 'not necessary'. Why would we, as a parliament, enact a bill that the minister has said is unnecessary. I don't think that's our job.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Without a doubt, the transition to net zero is inevitable; however, this legislation, the Climate Change Bill 2022 and related bill, is unnecessary and unachievable. The world is moving towards producing carbon neutral energy, and this is a good thing. The globe will at some point in time reach net zero, and I would say ideally sooner rather than later. However, given at the Paris accords rules, Australia already cannot walk back our NDC for 2030, even if anyone actually wanted to, and the government knows this. So the bill before us today is a redundant piece of legislation.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“After reviewing Labor's legislation I've spent a lot of time deciding how to proceed. I believe there are issues with the Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022. I will not be supporting this bill, due to my concerns over the impact it may have on important infrastructure projects, for example. However, I will be supporting Labor's Climate Change Bill 2022. At the end of the day, it's important to me that when I'm back in my own community I'm able to sincerely say that I used the opportunity afforded to me with the power of my vote to stand up for what they want and need and to move on from this debate.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“It's time for those in this place to reject this bill. It's time for those in this place to put Australia first.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The consequences of their consequential amendment bill are a scary prospect and one that the government have not thought through. This ultimately is legislation that comes as nothing more than a political stunt. The coalition will always support policies to bring down emissions, but we will not do it where we compromise our economy and our national security.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Tomorrow morning, this bill will proceed. It is a goal without a plan, giving the regions fear but not hope. We will be told we have to honour the percentage of science that affirms the views of those opposite whilst ignoring the science that they don't agree with. Essentially, that is what this bill is—what I stated at the beginning and came from the mouths of some opposite: a bill that is largely symbolic or, as the minister responsible said, a bill that is not required. Why are we doing this?”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Going to the legislation—the Climate Change Bill 2022 and related bill—this is absolutely a triumph of politics over policy. The Prime Minister and minister have made very, very clear in repeated statements that this legislation is not necessary. It is entirely the government's right to set their targets, and they have done that. That work has been done. Targets have been set. Nothing that we debate here will change that or impact on that.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Fundamentally this country cannot have a conversation about a climate change bill without confronting the obvious effect it will have on jobs and the cost of living. But Labor is so focused on the politics that they have not considered the consequences. Through this legislation they have removed all ministerial accountability for the impact of their policies on jobs, wages, investment and regional communities.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“But, to give them credit, they said they would have a target of 43 per cent, so they're legislating it. They've already written off to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and that is our target. So this legislation is a bit of symbolism, but I find it's pretty sinister in that, yet again, this legislation means that this room and our elected representatives will have no control over investments in things that keep our nation running.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
12 speakers · 13 contributions · 12 support
“So, through our negotiations, we've improved a weak climate bill. It's still weak, and it's still nowhere near enough, but it is a small step in the right direction, and the Greens will vote for it. But I will say that we are in solidarity with First Nations communities, with climate scientists, with the global community and with our neighbours in the Pacific in saying that this is the critical decade, and we are resolute that there must be no new coal and gas and a transition off fossil fuels. This could be the climate parliament. We have the numbers to go much further and faster. The only thing standing in the way of more action is this government and its cosy relationship with the fossil fuel sector, who make generous donations to its re-election campaigns, along with those of the Liberal Party.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In summary, this legislation is a start; it's a beginning. But so much more needs to be done. I urge the government to work with us Greens to do the real work that's required for Australia to be playing our part in tackling the climate crisis.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“In respect of the consequential bill, there are many important agencies and acts of parliament not currently included in the consequential bill. The Greens believe that all of government should be working towards the legislated climate target. I understand from the minister that a review will be conducted in the coming months of other agencies and acts to be added to the list in the consequential bill. In summing up on this bill, I ask the minister to confirm that this review will take place and what the timing of this review will be. I would also like the minister to confirm that NOPSEMA, the agency tasked with regulating and approving offshore oil and gas projects, and its governing legislation will also be included in this review.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I'm going to pinch my nose and vote for these bills. But mark my words: the Greens are not going to settle for something that's simply better than nothing. We won't be settling for this. We will push Labor all the way. We will push them in relation to their blind addiction to fossil fuels. We will push them in relation to their blind addiction to logging native forests in this country. We'll do that because we are going to stand on the side of humanity; we're going to stand on the side of nature; and we're going to stand on the side of the environment. And we're going to stand against those psychopaths and big corporations who profit from destruction, and we will stand against the political parties they have in their collective pockets.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“By supporting this bill as put to us in the house, particularly in the absence of the critical amendments that we have tabled in this chamber, the Greens have shown our willingness to work with the parliament on this issue in the interests of just bloody getting on with it, of clearing a path for all of us to engage in the real work that must follow.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“We know that the only reason this bill has anything of substance in it is the nearly two million people who voted for the Greens at this election—the thousands of people who knocked on doors, delivered leaflets in letterboxes, helped clean up after the floods, staffed polling booths and built this Greens movement. My message to you is, while this is still not enough, clearly, your power is not yet fully realised. We know we've got a long way to go. We know that we'll manage to ensure that this bill is Dutton-proofed. We know now that 43 per cent is just a minimum target. We know there is the potential to ratchet it up over time. We know now that we've made it harder for coal and gas projects to be approved, now that we've included some government agencies in the target. We know there'll be greater transparency. And we know that, finally, the government's at least willing to talk to us about supporting coal and gas communities.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“After a decade of climate stupor by the Liberal and National governments, this bill does represent some progress. It is a small step in the right direction, but, after a decade of coalition ruin, Australia is in such a state of despair when it comes to the climate that even the smallest step is quite notable. But it's not near enough to the solution that we need. No government should be let off the hook on climate action. It's vital that the media, activists, NGOs and the community at large do not let the Labor government rest until we see real climate action.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This bill represents a first step. It's not enough. We need to move faster and further than this bill allows. The ratchet mechanism secured by the Greens means the target can be increased over time and won't go backwards, but we need more. We've already reached one degree of warming. South Australians and people across our country and the world are already experiencing the effects of this, including loss of livelihoods and lives.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I want to be absolutely clear that the climate wars are not over. They have, in fact, reached a new frontier. The Greens are begrudgingly supporting this bill, but we know that 43 per cent is nowhere near enough. The fight continues for meaningful climate action, which also means preventing one more fossil-fuel project opening, expanding or continuing. My call to action for the folks out there watching is to join us—come forward and fight for our children's future and for our climate.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Yes, let's pass this bill with the improvements that have been negotiated through the hard work of climate activists. I particularly pay tribute to our colleague Adam Bandt, our Greens leader, for the hard work he and his team did in negotiating improvements: putting in a genuine floor, putting in greater transparency, making the bill better. But we acknowledge that this is nowhere near where this parliament needs to be on climate. Let's do it, because it shows we can at least take one step away from the climate vandalism of the former coalition government. Let's take some strength from that, but then let's get on with the real work that's needed, and that's the work to permanently keep coal and gas in the ground.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Sarah Hanson-Young on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Sarah Hanson-Young says the Greens will back the bill because their negotiations improved and strengthened it, making it an acceptable step forward. She still argues it falls short of what climate science demands and says Australia needs stronger laws, including a climate trigger, to stop new polluting projects.
“I rise today to speak in favour of these pieces of legislation, and I want to put squarely on the record right from the beginning that it is because the Greens have worked constructively that we have been able to improve and strengthen these pieces of legislation so they are acceptable. Forty-three per cent is nowhere near where we need to go if we are to reduce and cut pollution to save this fragile planet. It is nowhere near where we need to go if we are to give our children a future which they can rely on, a safe climate, clean water, healthy air and clean, safe food. But it is, now we have strengthened this bill, a step forward in the right direction.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Hanson-Young says the Greens will support the bill because it is an important step toward cutting pollution, but argues it does not go far enough without stronger environment laws and a climate trigger for major coal and gas projects. She says the government must still follow through with real action to stop new fossil fuel developments.
“So, while this bill is an important step forward in acknowledging that our task now is to cut pollution, we need the tools in the toolbox to do it. We need the action to follow. This bill won't deliver the action, but it does deliver the promise.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“Let me be extremely clear. The Greens will be supporting these bills, but they are a very small step forward, and Labor has committed to kicking real action on climate change to the kerb. This is a government that is captured by the likes of Woodside, Chevron and Santos. In Western Australia, literally two-thirds of all offshore gas is given away to these companies for free. The state government gets more money from vehicle registrations than it does from gas royalties. Federally, the petroleum resource rent tax is broken. Australian people are paying for the privilege of having our climate destroyed for the sake of multinational profit. That's a disgrace. While these bills go nowhere near far enough, we are pleased to have secured improvements. The Greens have made sure that Labor's unscientific target of 43 per cent is a minimum, and we are aiming to see that target raised substantially. We've made sure that the Climate Change Authority will be guided by the global temperature goals set out in the Paris Agreement. Crucially, large financing bodies such as Export Finance Australia and Infrastructure Australia will have to consider climate targets when financing projects. This is significant, as these bodies have been vehicles for significant fossil fuel financing.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
2 speakers · 2 oppose
“It's time to vote against creating a world where native vegetation, crop yields, the marine environment and the entire biosphere, the beautiful biosphere, is being damaged through an absurd attempt to reduce carbon dioxide. Nature's essential trace gas is essential for all life on the planet. It's time to vote against a world where hunger and poverty will increase by design as a means of control. Have some decency. Vote against the Climate Change Bill 2022. Take a stand. We have one flag, we are one community, we are one nation. We are proud and grateful carbon based life forms.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This is a stupid bloody policy that I and One Nation will never support. Put a plan on the table whereby we will move forward with renewables and other energy resources that will build our country, not destroy it and future generations.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
3 speakers · 3 support
“I welcome this legislation, and I hope that we are going to legislate these targets in this parliament. I urge the government to focus on transforming energy to 80 per cent renewables by 2030. We need to clean up transport, modernise industry and regenerate Australia. We have to stop cutting down trees. It really is that simple. I congratulate and I welcome this legislation, but I urge greater action.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“With climate policy, everything has to be looked at through the lens of integrity, because a target without integrity is just a number. It's not going to matter, and future generations will judge us harshly for our inaction and for some of the ridiculous arguments that we've used to avoid acting on what is the biggest challenge humans have ever faced. We have to act. We have to act decisively. I support this bill, and I look forward to working with my colleagues here in the Senate to ensure that this is just the first step not only in ending the climate wars but in winning them and going from being, when it comes to climate action, an embarrassing laggard who turns up to international summits to talk about climate action, spruiks gas companies and tries to water down agreements.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“We can't waste any more time, because, quite simply, we don't have any more time. So I do welcome this bill, and I do support the government's move to enshrine our emissions targets in legislation, not least to provide certainty to businesses but also to shore up commitments made on the international stage. Yes, adding climate considerations into the legislation underpinning agencies like the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, as well as reinstating the role of the Climate Change Authority, are good steps. But don't get me wrong: this bill is the bare minimum. It contains no plans for how to reach the new emissions target and no plans for what will happen if we don't. It says nothing about sectoral plans to reduce emissions, to phase out fossil fuels or to support fossil fuel workers to transition into new areas of work. It's silent on measures to help local communities to invest in renewable energy and battery technology or policies to protect the health of Australians from the impacts of climate change. In other words, the bill is a start, but one that illustrates just how far we have to go.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 87 to 56.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Consideration in detail: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
House · Third reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 89 to 55.
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 36 to 30.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Senate · Committee of the whole: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 37 to 30.
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
House · Message from Senate reported
Message from Senate reported
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Consideration of Senate message
Consideration of Senate message
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament and makes it law., turning the bill into an Act.
Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (31/08/2022)
Referred to committee
Referred to Committee (28 July 2022): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (31 Aug 2022)
APH bill page notes
