Senate burns midnight oil for ETS debate

The Senate is burning the midnight oil as an end-of-week deadline looms for a vote
on the government's controversial emissions trading scheme.
While the opposition leadership saga continued to steal the spotlight from emissions
trading, the changes nutted out between the government and coalition were introduced
to the Senate on Wednesday.
The final round of debate could stretch into the weekend, with crossbench senators
and some coalition members who are still vehemently against the ETS likely to drag
out debate as long as possible.
Both the government and Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull have said they want the
legislation passed this week.
The government, seeking to stymie delay tactics, forced the Senate to sit until
nearly midnight on Wednesday, while warning it will happily extend hours as far as
this weekend.
Although the scheme appears to be a fait accompli given the coalition's acceptance
of the deal, ETS critics are not laying down arms and individual coalition senators
are still vowing to cross the floor.
The Senate was awash with motions and strong words as opponents sought to fight the
legislation on Wednesday.
The Australian Greens tried to add another amendment calling on the government to
make an unconditional commitment to reduce carbon emissions by at least 25 per cent
below 1990 levels by 2020, but the move was rejected.
The Nationals, with the support of a number of Liberal senators, tried to delay
debate until after global climate change talks in Copenhagen, but the move failed
18-52.
Another bid to have the legislation referred to a quick Senate inquiry was also
rejected.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong urged politicians to act in the national
interest, but Liberal senator Mathias Cormann and crossbench senator Steve Fielding
were unmoved.
"I won't support (Mr Turnbull's) position to vote for Labor's flawed legislation in
the Senate before Copenhagen and before an outcome has been reached at least in the
US," Senator Cormann said.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner sought to deflect criticism of the
government's amendments, which include billions of dollars in extra compensation to
polluters.
He cautioned against the liberal use of the term "big polluters" to classify the
coal, electricity and energy sectors.
"They are, but who's actually doing the polluting? The answer is all of us," he said.
"We are all the problem, and that's why you need an all-encompassing structure and a
scheme."