Australia's long-promised national environment protection body is in doubt with the federal government torn between green advocates demanding urgent action and the industry warning it will result in job losses.
The government's proposed "nature positive" legislation was scrapped at the last minute due to an impasse with the Greens over deforestation protections and amid intense lobbying from the mining and logging industries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Labor has not given up on the reforms, one of the major planks of its policy platform, but its removal from a hectic last-week agenda that saw more than 40 laws passed has infuriated environmental advocates.
With an election due by May 17, time is ticking for the government to deliver on its promise when politicians return to Canberra in February.
Environment protection remains the "unfinished business" of the parliament, says Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
"I want this on the national agenda when parliament returns," she told ABC Radio on Monday.
"Nature has waited too long, and nature needs us. The koalas are dying, the parrots are dying, the gliders are dying, our forests are under constant threat.
"It's time we stood up to those in the business lobby, the big miners and the big loggers, who just think that they've had a win this week."
Senator Hanson-Young had been locked in protracted negotiations with Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek over the deal and believed the parties were nearing a breakthrough until Mr Albanese intervened to kill the bill.
"I'm frustrated by that. I'm disappointed that we couldn't get there," said Senator Hanson-Young.
"The prime minister made it very clear over the last few months that he was not going to budge on climate, that he was worried about votes in Western Australia, the pressure of the mining lobby in WA."
Mr Albanese denied a deal had been reached and rejected suggestions it was shelved to appease WA.
He said Greens' amendments on climate triggers, ending native forestry and decisions impacting regional forest agreements were a sticking point.
"We want to make sure that any environmental legislation does two things: one, that it protects the environment and sustainability; but secondly, that it also supports industry where it's appropriate to speed up approvals," he told ABC Radio.
Labor defector Fatima Payman firmed as a key player in negotiations, with the WA senator's opposition to the bill further complicating matters for the government.
The mining industry and WA Premier Roger Cook lobbied hard against the proposed protections, with warnings they would damage the sector and the state's economy.
Nationals leader David Littleproud urged Mr Albanese to rule out the legislation once and for all.
"Labor still wants to bring in the Federal EPA, they’ll just wait until after the next federal election," he said.
"Labor’s proposed Federal EPA is simply a bureaucracy on top of broken environmental laws that will only increase confusion and red tape, making it harder to get government approval for a project, while not guaranteeing any improved environmental outcomes."
