Katina Curtis: Greens prove better negotiators in EPBC showdown

In the showdown over environmental laws, the Greens have proved themselves to be the better negotiators, able to outline a coherent position and willing to compromise to clinch a deal.

They whittled down their core demands and acceded to business-friendly changes.

Meanwhile, the Coalition is left still licking the wounds left by its election demolition and looking like a rabble — despite the efforts and advice of industry lobby groups.

Anthony Albanese could barely contain his triumph during Question Time on Thursday after landing what seemed impossible for five years.

“If it’s not a good deal, it doesn’t get done. This is a good deal,” the Prime Minister said.

Labor backbenchers were thrilled, and no-one’s anticipating an electoral backlash.

Meanwhile, the Greens were offering appeasements to supporters who they knew would be upset they weren’t hardline on climate factors.

“To all the forest activists and people in the environment movement out there, I say this to you: This is a significant step forward, but we’ll see you on the streets, and we’ll see you on the forest blockades because the fight goes on,” said Nick McKim, flanked by leader Larissa Waters and main negotiator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Sussan Ley was left with sour grapes at a press conference where she waved around the Coalition’s unrelated energy plan.

“There were seven critical areas, and the fact that the government might have come halfway to meeting half of the things that we wanted them to is not addressing the problem here,” she said.

Meeting halfway and a willingness to compromise on both sides was how the deal got done.