Coalition and Greens team up to force Labor to release emissions modelling

Jim Chalmers has accused opponents of Labor’s renewable energy policies of spinning wheels in “ideological cul-de-sacs”, as the Coalition and Greens team up to force the government to release emissions modelling.

On Tuesday the Senate rejected the Albanese government’s public interest immunity claim, meaning it will be forced to release forecasts of how big industrial emitters would use carbon credits to meet obligations created by the proposed safeguard mechanism.

The motion, by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, passed without a vote after the Greens said they had secured opposition support for the ambush.

The government now has until 4pm on Thursday to produce the modelling, a key input into negotiations between the Greens and Labor over the safeguards mechanism bill, which requires big emitters to reduce emissions intensity by 4.9% a year.

The two progressive parties remain deadlocked, with the Greens calling for a ban on new coal and gas projects while Labor insists it has a mandate for the safeguards mechanism without a condition that would reduce supply of gas as a…