Labor to consider 'sensible' changes on climate bill

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has revealed a pair of bills to start implementing the government's climate agenda, which would be introduced when the new parliament sits for the first time in late July.

Mr Bowen said the government would move quickly to deliver on its promise to help reduce the upfront cost of electric cars, bringing forward laws to cut tariffs and abolish the fringe benefit tax on some vehicles.

Labor will also use the first sitting week to introduce a multi-faceted climate change bill, which would go beyond just seeking to legislate its aim of cutting emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.

Under the bill, the Climate Change Authority would be tasked with assessing Australia's progress against the targets and advising the government on future goals, including for 2035.

The minister would also be required to deliver an annual update in parliament, similar to the yearly Closing the Gap statement.

The bill will be the first legislative fight of the new term, with Liberal leader Peter Dutton's staunch opposition quashing Labor's hopes of a smooth passage through parliament.

In a speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Mr Bowen said the Coalition had rendered itself "irrelevant" in the climate debate through the positions it has taken since the May 21 election defeat, including its advocacy for nuclear energy.

The Coalition's position would mean Labor requires the support of the 12 Greens senators and another crossbencher - such as independent ACT senator David Pocock - to pass the bill through the upper house.

Labor has so far refused to negotiate with the Greens or cede to its demands to halt new coal and gas projects, raising the prospect of a deadlock in parliament.

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Mr Bowen on Wednesday reiterated Labor wouldn't accept the Greens' demands.

However, the new minister said he was open to suggestions from crossbenchers.

"If they have ideas, suggestions or amendments which are complementary to the government's agenda, which are sensible additions to our plan, then I am happy to consider them in good faith," Mr Bowen said.

"I say this in a spirit of cooperation. If there is a good idea which improves, not undermines the bill, I'm happy to hear it and work with it.

"But we won't be entertaining amendments which are not consistent with our agenda or our mandate."

Mr Bowen reiterated that Labor would press ahead with its plans even if it couldn't secure the numbers in parliament to enshrine the targets in law.

The minister warned that not legislating the targets would send a signal to investors that a future government might "walk back" the climate ambitions.

Senator Pocock and Warringah MP Zali Steggall are among the crossbenchers who are pushing for stronger action, but believe Labor's targets are a reasonable starting point.

The two former sports stars believe the government's 43 per cent target should be treated as a floor rather than a ceiling on its ambitions.

Mr Bowen said the 43 per cent aim was "of course not a ceiling", pointing to the wording of a submission to the UN which updated Australia's official climate targets.

The submissions set out the government's hopes that the combined commitments from industries, the states and territories and Australian public would yield "even greater" emissions cuts in the coming decades.