Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011

The majority voted against amendments introduced by Senator Mathias Cormann also on behalf of Senators Simon Birmingham and Richard Colbeck. This means that it was rejected.

Senator Cormann explained that the amendments are designed to improve the legislation and rectify some of its shortcomings. They relate to the application of native title future act provisions and the consent of State or Territory minister.(See the amendments and the debate surrounding them here. )

Background to the bill

The Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011 was introduced as part of a package of three related bills to establish a voluntary carbon offset scheme, to be called the Carbon Farming Initiative.(The other two related bills were the Carbon Credits (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011 and the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units Bill 2011. ) Introducing this scheme was a Government election commitment. The bills digest explains that the Initiative will be "a voluntary scheme that aims to provide incentives for the agricultural and forestry sectors to minimise carbon emissions or maximise carbon sequestration by altering their forestry and agricultural practices".

The bill's stated objectives are:

• to implement certain commitments Australia has under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol to it
• to create incentives for carbon-abatement projects
• to increase carbon abatement while still protecting Australia’s natural environment and enhancing resilience to climate change impacts.(Read more about the bill in its bills digest.)