Greens senator Nick McKim says climate groups are too afraid to push for change against ‘ecocidal’ government

The Greens’ Nick McKim has accused some environmental groups of being too interested in ‘access to government and perceived influence’. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

A Greens senator has urged Australia’s climate and environment movement to “collectively get its shit together” and adopt a model for bringing about rapid change that does not involve “sitting in Labor ministers’ offices having cups of tea”.

It follows an at times fraught debate among conservationists and other activists over how to respond to Labor’s proposed changes to the safeguard mechanism, a climate policy that passed parliament on Thursday after deal with the Greens and some independents.