This week the government aims to get its new environment laws passed. But it does not have a majority in the Senate. The Greens or the Coalition could block the changes - for different reasons.

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The Greens say the changes do not go far enough to protect the environment. The Coalition says they go too far. It could result in nothing happening at all.

It is reminiscent of the Rudd Labor government failing to get its carbon-reduction scheme through the Senate 15 years ago when the Greens' pursuit of what they thought was perfect defeated what was a good proposal.

Then-treasurer Wayne Swan revealed later that at the time he thought prime minister Kevin Rudd would call a double dissolution to ensure Australia would do its bit to deal with "the great moral challenge of our generation". But he squibbed it.

If the environment legislation goes down, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won't take it to a double dissolution because he has too much to lose - a 94-56 majority in the House of Representatives.

Besides, Albanese's natural caution would also militate against it. Also, a double dissolution is a big sledgehammer to get just one piece of legislation through.

Labor is fortunate in that it only needs one or other of the Greens or the Coalition to get legislation through and does not need any independents or minor-party support.

At present it is negotiating, but negotiations with both could fall through. A more certain way would be to be a bit more Machiavellian.

It should say to the Coalition: "We want some significant changes to the environment law, but the Greens want it to be even greener and unless they get their way you are going to side with the Greens to defeat the legislation because you say it is not business-friendly enough.

"So, we are going to accept all of the Green amendments so the new law will be passed and will come into force on, say, the end of the next sitting.

"Then just before that law comes in to force, we will bring some amendments to it. The amendments will make it less green and

© Canberra Times