Australian MP proposes 'apolitical' plan to end deadlock on climate debate

SYDNEY- For the past decade, Australian politicians have been unable to agree on a workable climate policy, instead engaging 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 proposed a solution that may end the paralysis.

Ms Steggall, a former Olympic skiing champion, has unveiled plans for a private member's Bill to move Australia towards zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The Bill, which is modelled on a British policy adopted by former Conservative prime minister David Cameron, would commit the government to identifying climate risks and adaptation measures on a five-yearly basis.

It would also create a seven-person independent expert commission that would 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 campaigning on a promise 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, who co-founded the firm Atlassian, 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.

A series of 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.

The chief executive of the Business Council, Ms Jennifer Westacott, said the new Bill presented a chance to finally end Australia's toxic debate on addressing climate change.

"This has always got stuck on the detail," she told The Australian Financial Review.

"It's always got stuck on the ideology… 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 because we would know where we're going."

Australia's bitter debate over climate change has led to the toppling of several prime ministers and opposition leaders, including coalition leader Malcolm Turnbull, who was ousted by his party in 2018 after proposing a new carbon-reducing energy policy.

Mr Turnbull was replaced by the current leader, Mr Scott Morrison, who has resisted strong climate action but is facing growing pressure to act, particularly following Australia's recent deadly bush fires.

Following the bush fires, Mr Morrison said his stance on climate action was "evolving".

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, particularly as ruling parties in Australia rarely backs private member's Bills.

But the coalition has only a tiny majority in the House of Representatives and would be unable to block the Bill if a handful of more moderate Liberal MPs, along with the Labor opposition, decided to back it.

Labor has signalled it is open to supporting the Bill.

"Labor welcomes any constructive effort to progress climate action," said Labor MP Mark Butler.

In the meantime, more than 42,000 people have signed an online petition to support the Bill.

Ms Steggall plans to present the legislation to Parliament on March 23.