THE Australian government took a major step today towards implementing a key climate policy that would force major greenhouse gas polluters to reduce emissions.

The governing Labour Party said the so-called Safeguard Mechanism reforms are essential for Australia to reach its target of reducing emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by the end of the decade. 

The reforms would create a ceiling on the nation’s emissions and force Australia’s 215 biggest polluting facilities to reduce the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions by 205 million metric tons by 2030.

The Climate Council, a leading climate communicator, described the reforms as the first Australian legislation in a decade that would regulate greenhouse gas pollution.

With the support of the Greens’ 11 senators, the government only needs the backing of two unaligned or minor party senators to get the reforms through the upper chamber. 

Greens leader Adam Bandt said through negotiations his party had “secured a big hit on oil and gas.”

The legislation was passed today by the House of Representatives, where Labour holds a majority of seats.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Safeguard Mechanism “is the vehicle to achieve our commitment for a 43 per cent reduction by 2030.”

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said: “Today we’re a big step closer to passing the Safeguard Mechanism reforms through Parliament.”

Opposition climate change and energy spokesperson Ted O’Brien rejected the reforms, saying: “This is not a plan to decarbonise the Australian economy — rather a plan to deindustrialise it.” 

The Climate Council Chief Executive Amanda Mckenzie said: “This will be the federal parliament’s first reform to genuinely cut pollution in a decade.”

But the Australia Institute, a left-wing policy think tank, was critical that the reforms would allow some new fossil fuel projects to proceed, though fewer than under the current arrangements.