Labor strikes 11th-hour deal with Greens to push bills through constipated Senate

The Albanese government has cut an 11th hour deal with the Greens to pass dozens of bills through the Senate amid a dramatic final sitting day of the year in Canberra.

Labor has been scrambling to find a way to pass at least 30 pieces of legislation, with several big ticket items up for vote.

But the Greens confirmed on Thursday afternoon they would throw their support behind at least 20 bills in exchange for major concessions, including half a billion dollars for extra social housing upgrades.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said the breakthrough showed that “Greens pressure works”.

“Thanks to the Greens, people in 50,000 public and community homes will receive life-changing upgrades and save approximately $1,800 a year on power bills,” he said.

“The Greens have secured $500m to electrify Australian homes starting with those most in need, cutting power bills and pollution at the same time.”

Mr Bandt also said his party had negotiated blockers to public fossil fuel project investments into the government’s Future Made in Australia Bill.

“In negotiations on Future Made in Australia, the Greens have stopped billions of dollars of public money going into coal, oil and gas projects, here or overseas,” he said.

“Australia’s export finance agency has shamefully invested around $1.5 billion in coal, oil and gas projects overseas on their commercial account. That’s not possible any more.”

More to come