The Australian Labor Party and the Coalition have voted against a bill to insert a duty of care to young people and future generations into the Climate Change Act.
The duty of care bill, proposed by Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock, aimed to force decision-makers to consider the wellbeing and health of future generations when approving facilities that would increase greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill would also block decisions involving the exploration or extraction of coal, oil or gas if the resulting greenhouse gas emissions would likely harm the wellbeing and health of current and future children in Australia.
It would see amendments to the Climate Change Act and add these conditions to decisions made under six existing pieces of legislation, including the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan crossed the floor to vote in support of the bill.
“I support the bill and commend senator Pocock for bringing it to the chamber for consideration,” McLachlan said.
“It’s very conservative, it’s actually more conservative than a liberal progressive position to care for the environment.”
A petition in support of the bill had amassed over 26,000 signatures when it was voted against on Wednesday.