Anthony Albanese says he didn’t have the numbers to pass EPA laws, downplays Cook and miners’ lobbying

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he personally shelved plans for a federal environmental protection watchdog because he didn’t have the numbers for it to pass, downplaying Premier Roger Cook’s role in triggering the intervention.

Mr Albanese confirmed he spoke to Mr Cook to assure him the EPA bill would not pass this week but said the pair did not discuss the potential political blowout in the State if it went ahead.

The Federal Government insists the EPA is not dead and will be revisited when Parliament returns in February after the summer break.

Labor was on the cusp of striking a deal with the Greens to establish its long-promised nature cop before Mr Albanese called it off, excluding the EPA laws from the package of 36 bills the Government originally wanted to pass on Parliament’s final sitting day on Thursday.

Senior Labor sources said Mr Albanese formed the view the EPA was not an urgent priority as he weighed up which bills needed to, and could, pass before the end of the year.

The Prime Minister’s intervention followed lobbying throughout Tuesday from Mr Cook and mining and business groups which feared the EPA could devastate the WA economy.

Mr Cook earlier this week confirmed he had spoken to the “highest levels” of the Federal Government and was confident WA’s deep concerns had been heard.

In an interview with ABC’s 7.30 program, Mr Albanese said the numbers in the Senate — rather than lobbying from Mr Cook and WA industry heavyweights — was the reason the laws were shelved.

The Government put new batteries in its calculator and found out it didn’t have the numbers.

“We negotiated through and we did not have a majority in the Senate to support that legislation,” Mr Albanese said.

The comments will solidify the views of senior political and industry insiders who believe Mr Albanese wouldn’t have been able to pass the EPA laws even with the Greens’ support.

While the Greens and David Pocock were on board, and possibly Lidia Thorpe as well, the potential kingmaker, ex-Labor senator Fatima Payman, was not locked in.

Minerals Council of Australia boss Tania Constable — one of the leading figures in the industry campaign to sink the laws — lobbied Senator Payman during a meeting in her Parliament House office on Tuesday afternoon.

Senator Payman’s office declined to comment on her position but a source close to her told The West: “The Government put new batteries in its calculator and found out it didn’t have the numbers”.

The Greens dispute the Government’s version of how negotiations played out, adamant Mr Albanese steamrolled Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to kill the deal at the behest of the WA Premier, miners and the native logging industry.

Greens environment spokeswoman Senator Hanson-Young said the Greens would campaign hard for strong new nature laws at the Federal election, which she said would be a “referendum on Mother Nature”.

Ms Plibersek said she was disappointed the EPA wasn’t part of the final day flurry of bills rammed through Parliament but was hopeful it could be revived in February.

The West this week revealed Ms Plibersek had thrashed out an agreement with the Greens and independent David Pocock that included a legislated timeframe to introduce national environmental standards.

“Yeah, it’s like asking a parent whether they think their kids should get a lead in the Christmas play,” Ms Plibersek told Sydney’s 2GB radio.

“Of course, you always think your own bill is the most important and your own kids are the greatest stars, but, you know, we’re part of a team and I’d like to see this bill passed.”

Ms Plibersek said she was disappointed to hear miners gathered at a Chamber of Minerals and Energy event in Perth on Tuesday night broke out in applause after being informed Mr Albanese had spiked the deal.

While the Government is publicly maintaining the EPA is still on the agenda for next year, Labor insiders privately admit the policy remains a tough sell in WA – particularly as the election approaches.

Asked in the 7.30 interview if he had spoken with Mr Cook about the “electoral implications” of the EPA, Mr Albanese said: “No”.

Resources Minister Madeleine King — WA’s only cabinet minister — admitted there could be a backlash against Labor in the State if a deal went through.

But she insisted that wasn’t the reason the bill was pulled.

“It was really more about the agreement was not reached between us and others,” Ms King told Sky News.