Greens Slam Liberal Climate Retreat as 'Train Wreck,' Demand Labor Choose Partners
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Greens Environment spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young launched a blistering attack on the Liberal Party’s climate policy reversal Thursday, declaring the Opposition “a bunch of nutters” controlled by climate deniers and demanding the Labor government choose between working with the coalition or the Greens on environmental legislation.
The South Australian senator delivered one of the most aggressive parliamentary press conferences in recent memory, characterizing the Liberal Party’s abandonment of net zero emissions targets as worse than the climate policies of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who famously brought a lump of coal into Parliament House.
“What an absolute train wreck,” Hanson-Young said immediately after watching Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s policy announcement. “And this is a bunch of nutters who want to drive Australia’s economy over a cliff and continue to trash our environment.”
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The Greens senator, speaking as her party’s Environment spokesperson, positioned the Liberal policy shift as an opportunity to force the Albanese government into closer collaboration with the Greens on climate and environmental legislation. She issued an ultimatum demanding Labor abandon any attempts to negotiate environmental policy with the coalition.
“The government has to choose now. What is the Labor government going to do in terms of working with the coalition on their environment plans?” Hanson-Young said. “And it is absolutely clear today that the coalition cannot be a trusted partner on climate or environment. And now the government has to pick a lane.”
The press conference represented a calculated political maneuver by the Greens to exploit divisions between Labor and the Liberal-National coalition on climate policy. With Labor holding a narrow parliamentary majority, Greens support remains crucial for passing contentious environmental legislation through the Senate.
Hanson-Young outlined the stark choice she believes Labor now faces: “They can work with the big polluters and the big loggers and the climate deniers in the Liberal Party, or they can choose the lane with the Greens and we can get environmental protection done.”
The senator repeatedly emphasized her personal stake in climate action as a mother, adding emotional weight to her political criticism. “As a mother of a teenager, I just shake my head at what is coming out of the Liberal Party today,” she said. “And this is a party that clearly denies the science of climate change, doesn’t care about the future and the protection of our environment for future generations, and don’t seem to care about what wrecking their policy would have on Australia’s economy.”
Hanson-Young’s most pointed criticism targeted Ley personally, suggesting the Opposition Leader lacks authority within her own party. “Susan Lay is on notice, clearly within her own party. No leadership, no authority, and no climate sense,” she said, appearing to deliberately mispronounce the Opposition Leader’s name.
When questioned about similarities between the Liberal policy and positions long advocated by the National Party, Hanson-Young argued the junior coalition partner had effectively hijacked Liberal climate policy. “It’s crystal clear that the National Party have killed the Liberals today. Barnaby Joyce wanted to kill the National Party and he ended up killing the Liberals too. That’s what’s happened today,” she said.
The senator characterized the Liberal Party as having been “dragged by the nose into this anti-science, anti-environment, anti-economy position” by National Party climate skeptics. She argued the policy renders the coalition unfit for government and unsuitable as negotiating partners on any environmental legislation.
“They don’t look like a party fit for government. They’re certainly not a party that should be negotiated with in the parliament on anything to do with climate or environment,” Hanson-Young declared.
The Greens Environment spokesperson reiterated her ultimatum to the Albanese government multiple times throughout the brief press conference, framing the Liberal policy shift as a decisive moment requiring Labor to cement its legislative partnership with the Greens.
“Are they going to work with the climate deniers and the economy wreckers in the Liberal Party? Or do they want to work with the Greens to put in place protections for our environment and protections for our climate and to make sure our economy is strong?” she said.
The aggressive tone and personal attacks represent an escalation in parliamentary rhetoric around climate policy, reflecting deep frustration among environmental advocates with the slow pace of emissions reduction under successive Australian governments.
Hanson-Young’s press conference occurred immediately after the Liberal Party announcement, suggesting the Greens had prepared their response in anticipation of the policy shift. The coordinated messaging indicates the minor party views the Liberal retreat as a strategic opportunity to consolidate its position as Labor’s necessary partner on environmental legislation.
The senator’s characterization of Liberal MPs as “nutters” and “climate deniers” drew immediate criticism from conservative commentators who accused the Greens of abandoning parliamentary decorum. However, environmental advocacy groups largely echoed Hanson-Young’s sentiments, expressing alarm at the Liberal policy direction.
The press conference underscored the Greens’ calculation that the Liberal Party’s rightward shift on climate creates political space for the minor party to position itself as the only viable partner for Labor on environmental policy. With crucial legislation on environmental law reform pending in Parliament, the Greens appear determined to leverage the Liberal policy reversal to extract concessions from the government.
Labor ministers have not yet responded publicly to Hanson-Young’s ultimatum, maintaining focus on criticizing the Liberal policy itself rather than addressing potential parliamentary negotiations with the Greens.
The exchange sets up a complex three-way dynamic ahead of the next federal election, with Labor defending its climate record against Liberal attacks from the right and Greens criticism from the left, while simultaneously requiring Greens support to pass legislation through the Senate.
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