The Rudd government's self-imposed deadline for parliamentary approval of its planned emissions trading scheme is up on Thursday with no sign the Senate will even reach a vote.
Parliament is due to rise for the six-week winter break and much of the debate about the scheme has been about the debate itself.
The Senate has shuffled down the list of business the package of 11 climate change bills the government wanted passed by Thursday.
Even if the legislation makes it to a vote, it looks doomed with the Australian Greens and crossbench senator Steve Fielding vowing to vote down the bills.
Independent senator Nick Xenophon will ask the Senate to delay a vote until August.
However, Australian Greens senator Christine Milne says delaying the vote will not change the final outcome/
"What is the point? Four or five weeks, it's not going to make an iota of difference," she told reporters.
The Greens want the scheme scuttled now and will oppose any move to delay a vote.
Family First senator Steve Fielding says the government needs to prove that carbon emissions are the main driver behind global warming.
"Because they're the ones pushing these laws," he said.
AAP
