Senate coal inquiry's split result blamed on 'squabbling' parties

Australian Conservation Foundation says Coalition and Labor failing workers and risking the country's energy security

A major environment group has blasted Australia's political parties for squabbling while energy security suffers after a Senate inquiry into the retirement of coal-fired power stations split three ways.

The Senate's environment and communications references committee has been inquiring into mechanisms for an orderly transition away from coal-fired power to lower emissions energy sources for several months.