Reported by Reuters, the government will need seven more votes in the Senate to pass the laws.

The news service also speculated the government could decide to hold an early election in late 2009 should the Senate block the CPRS legislation.

Australian Coal Association representatives also met with Climate Change parliamentary secretary Greg Combet today to express their concerns over the CPRS.

The ACA is advocating for the coal sector to receive Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed industry status under the scheme.

An ACA spokesperson told International Longwall News the meeting with Combet was “constructive”, but it was still early days.

Consulting firm ACIL Tasman has estimated the CPRS will cost up to 3300 coal sector jobs and 9900 jobs in total, with 16 mines to prematurely close in the first 10 years of implementation in its current form.

The consultancy also estimated the cost to the coal industry to be in the realm of $A14.35 billion using 2008-09 coal prices.