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Abstract

This article provides an overview of the domestic politics of climate change in Australia with a focus on the politics of carbon pricing under recent Labor governments. It provides descriptive overviews and explanations of the impact of politics upon climate policy and draws attention to the influence of the fossil fuel lobby. It reviews the historical context of climate policy, including early, failed attempts to set and pursue emissions reduction; the domestic and international recalcitrance of neo-liberal leaders; and the recent shift to embrace carbon pricing. It considers the impact of politics upon climate policy outcomes, piecing together political and policy efforts to price carbon, and drawing attention to the agenda setting of the Australian States and Territories, and of Kevin Rudd both as Labor opposition leader and as Prime Minister. It argues that the capacity of industry to thwart effective carbon pricing was only checked by institutional influences once Labor assumed minority government. In these circumstances, Labor relies upon the Australian Greens, not only to support its government in office, but to pass legislation in the Senate where the Greens now hold the balance of power. Under these circumstances, carbon pricing was able to be negotiated and agreed upon by a Multi-Party Committee on Climate Change comprising the government and its parliamentary supporters, including independents and the Greens. Whilst political and economic interests largely shape Australia’s climate change agendas, it is concluded that important policy shifts have been achieved through combined and varying normative and institutional influences.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Crowley, K
Journal or Publication Title:	Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change
Publisher:	John Wiley & Son s, Ltd
ISSN:	1757-7799
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.239
Copyright Holders:	K Crowley
Copyright Information:	Copyright 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
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