‘No purpose’ to Coalition’s climate policy after big polluters increase emissions by 1.6m tonnes

Government under fire after major companies again given green light to lift carbon emissions without penalty

Industry and environment groups have questioned the point of the Coalition government's safeguard mechanism" - which promised to keep a lid on industrial greenhouse gas emissions - after major companies were allowed to again increase pollution without penalty.

BHP, Anglo American and Tomago Aluminium were among companies given the green light to increase emissions by a combined 1.6m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year in an announcement by the Clean Energy Regulator in late July.