Sussan Ley accuses Murray Watt of ‘political fix’ as Greens deal pushes Labor’s sweeping environment reforms
Environment Minister Murray Watt was more focused on getting a “deal done” on sweeping environmental reforms this week than he was on making good policy, Sussan Ley has claimed.
The Albanese government struck a deal with the Greens to get the legislation through the Senate on Thursday, fulfilling Senator Watt’s promise that he would get it done in the final sitting week of the year.
Anthony Albanese and his ministers have charged the Coalition was not willing to come to the table with a comprehensible plan, sparking criticism that the Opposition Leader mismanaged negotiations.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Grilled on the blow-by-blow on Sunday, Ms Ley denied she held any responsibility for Senator Watt going with the Greens instead of the Coalition.
“I want to make this very, very clear, this was a political fix,” she told Sky News.
“And I can demonstrate that with this simple fact in that last week, Murray Watt was walking around the building with two sets of amendments – one for the Coalition and one for the Greens.
“What does that tell you? ‘I must get the deal done. It doesn’t matter what it is. I just need to get a deal done.’”
She said that was “not the integrity of the legislative process that Australians have come to expect”.
“There was no rush,” Ms Ley said.
“We’re talking 1500 pages of legislation.
“And if you want to talk about the Prime Minister and his ministers being tricky, as they have been across a range of areas this entire year, we could not get the black and white details of the amendments out of them, almost until the 11th hour.
“There was no willingness.”
More to come...
Originally published as Ley accuses Labor of ‘political fix’ with environmental reforms
