Madeleine King vows to end ‘lawyers’ picnic’ as Labor-Greens row over gas approvals explodes in Canberra

Resources Minister Madeleine King has vowed to end the “lawyers’ picnic” over gas project approvals as a bitter political row with the Greens exploded in the Federal Parliament.

The stoush erupted as it emerged the Federal Government tweaked its draft Bill to curtail “lawfare” after a lobbying campaign from left-wing party members, who feared it could undermine the party’s environmental credentials.

Ms King on Monday introduced an amendment to her contentious offshore gas Bill, clarifying that Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek would also get a say over changes to consultation requirements.

There will also be a 12-month sunset clause on the changes.

The Government is committed to clarifying the rules of engagement to avoid a repeat of the legal fights with Traditional Owners that stalled Santos’ Barossa venture and Woodside’s Scarborough project.

The original idea of handing Ms King sole power to adjust the requirements ignited a political firestorm, with the Greens, independents and environmental groups accusing the Government of trying to bypass environmental laws to fast-track new gas projects.

Ms King has repeatedly denied this, insisting there would be no change to the “rigorous” environmental assessments for projects.

After Greens leader Adam Bandt accused Ms King of wanting to speed up gas projects and “weaken” Indigenous voices, the Brand MP responded with a withering attack.

Ms King accused the Greens of wanting to prolong the “lawyers’ picnic” – a reference to the drawn-out legal battles between Traditional Owners and the big gas companies.

“I for one, and this Government, would rather pursue reform to that to make it (consultation) more certain … rather than let this endless lawyers’ picnic continue,” Ms King told question time.

“The truth is the Greens political party would prefer lawyers to get a lot of money pursuing this through the courts and wasting everybody’s time – wasting the court’s time, I might add – rather than letting environmental regulators look over approvals and see them done properly.”

The Greens rubbished the amendment, arguing it contained loopholes which meant the resources minister ultimately had the final call.

“These amendments are an admission that Labor knows it is doing the wrong thing and is trying to greenwash their attempts to fast-track gas,” Mr Bandt told The West.

Government sources are disputing the Greens’ interpretation, insisting changes could still be issued even if the two ministers disagreed.

But if that were to happen, companies would have to seek separate approvals through both offshore gas laws and environmental laws.

Mr Bandt tried unsuccessfully to stall the Bill’s progress until after the planned overhaul of federal environmental protection laws - which are still being drafted - passed the Federal Parliament.

The West on Monday revealed the Federal Government agreed to the amendment amid pressure from green campaigners inside the party.

Labor’s influential grassroots environmental activist group – known as LEAN – wrote to Ms King, Ms Plibersek and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday to express its grave concerns with the Bill.

In a letter, LEAN co-convenors Felicity Wade and John Della Bosca claimed the legislation would effectively divorce offshore gas approvals from environmental laws.

This would create “uncertainty and unfairness for business, further erode social licence, and diminish trust in government to protect Australia’s precious natural environment,” according to the letter obtained by The West.

The pair warned the Greens would seize on the change to claim Labor was creating an “easy pathway” for gas project approvals and “cannot be trusted on the environment”.

LEAN members voiced their anger last Tuesday night during a webinar with Ms Plibersek about the Government’s environment agenda.

The West understands Labor backbenchers – including Fremantle MP Josh Wilson – privately sought clarity on the Government’s intentions.

A coalition of First Nation leaders also wrote to Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney earlier this month urging the Government to dump the Bill, which they described as a “betrayal”.

“The Albanese government has talked long and hard about listening to our voice. This is akey test whether this government will walk the talk,” the letter read.

Ms Wade said the proposed amendment was a “workable solution” to what was shaping up as a “huge own goal” for Labor.

Clarifying the consultation requirements is critical to the Government’s hopes of securing the Opposition’s support for its changes to the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax.

The opposition accused Labor of “folding to the Greens” with the amendment – but won’t oppose the wider Bill.