National climate politics and the demise of the Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme: a political strategy analysis

In April 2010, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the deferral of his government‟s flagship climate-change policy, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), after it had twice failed to gain the support of the Australian Senate. The decision, along with the mishandling of a home insulation scheme and a proposed mining tax, curtailed Rudd‟s premiership and confirmed climate change as one of the most toxic issues in Australian politics. This paper examines the reasons for the failure of the CPRS, drawing on 53 expert interviews with Australian politicians, civil servants, business leaders and independent commentators. We argue that the CPRS‟ demise was caused principally by shortcomings in political strategy by the government, rather than deficits in policy design or per se the partisan nature of Australian climate politics. A policy-network and political-strategy framework is used to explore the political obstacles to the CPRS and how the development of alternative strategies – and more vigorous use of existing ones – may help to bridge partisan positions among the main political parties and business groups on climate change, and to rekindle public enthusiasm for carbon pricing in Australia. The paper concludes by reflecting on the merits and weaknesses of political-strategy analysis as a means for deciphering and informing reforms to national climate politics and policy.