Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2] and related bills

The majority voted against a motion to read the following bills for a third time:(Read more about the stages that a bill must pass through before becoming law here. )

• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges-Customs) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges-Excise) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges-General) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
• Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]

This means that the majority of Senators do not want to pass the bills in the Senate and that they will not proceed to become law.

Two Liberal Senators, Sue Boyce and Judith Troeth, crossed the floor to vote 'aye' with the government.(Read more about what it means to cross the floor in our FAQ section. )

Background to the bills

The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 (No. 2) was introduced as part of a package of six bills along with five other related bills to introduce the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. They reflect the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 and its related acts, as amended in the House of Representatives before it was negated in the Senate.(See that division here. )

The scheme is an emission trading scheme designed to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in an effort to address climate change. It gives effect to Australia's obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

The design of the scheme has been criticised by the business community for threatening jobs and by environmentalists for not going far enough with its emission reduction targets.(Read more about these criticisms here.)

The six bills that were introduced as a package are called:

• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges-Customs) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges-Excise) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges-General) Bill 2009 (No. 2)

The five other related bills are called:

• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 (No. 2)
• the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009 (No. 2)

References