For the past decade, Australian politicians have been unable to agree on a workable climate policy, engaging instead in a divisive debate that has led to the toppling of leaders from both sides of politics.
But a newly elected independent MP, Ms Zali Steggall, has a proposal that may end the paralysis. The former Olympic skiing champion has unveiled plans for a private member's Bill to move Australia towards zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Bill, modelled on a British policy adopted by former prime minister David Cameron, would commit the government to identifying climate risks and adaptation measures on a five-yearly basis. It would also create an independent expert commission to advise the government on ways to curb carbon emissions.
Members of the commission would include Australia's Chief Scientist, as well as experts from fields such as climate science, business, agriculture and energy.
Ms Steggall said the proposed Bill was "as apolitical a Bill as we can make it".
"Let's run a line in the sand on the past divisions we've had in terms of where we're heading as a country," she told reporters in Canberra.
"We're putting forward a sensible plan for Australia to have a long-term, safe future when it comes to dealing with the impacts of climate change."
At last year's election, she defeated former prime minister Tony Abbott in his long-held Sydney seat after promising to take action on climate change.
Her climate Bill has attracted growing support, including from the Business Council of Australia, Greenpeace, technology billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, and economist Ross Garnaut, author of two landmark reports on climate policy for the federal government.
Professor Garnaut said Ms Steggall's Bill could help Australia to finally end its "climate wars". This battle, he said, had led to political instability, delayed progress in reducing emissions, and resulted in inadequate investment in electricity generation.
"Being introduced by a Member of Parliament from outside the partisan divide, (this Bill) can pass without any of the parties of government backing down from explicit electoral commitments," Prof Garnaut said in a statement.
Efforts by Australian politicians to introduce a carbon price or emissions-reduction regimes have been stymied, as opponents have claimed that the moves are unnecessary or too costly.
Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the Bill presented a chance to end Australia's toxic debate on climate change.
"If we could get the two political parties to agree to that and legislate it, we would have made a massive advance in this country," she told The Australian Financial Review.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has resisted strong climate action but is facing growing pressure to act, following Australia's recent deadly bush fires. But this has not yet led to any significant change in policy, aside from flagging new investment in climate technologies.
He is unlikely to outwardly back Ms Steggall's plan. But the coalition would be unable to block the Bill if more moderate Liberal MPs, along with the Labor opposition, decided to back it. Labor has signalled it is open to supporting the Bill.
Ms Steggall plans to present it to Parliament on March 23.
