Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—At the request of the member for Jagajaga, I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges Australia's important role as a member of the Pacific family;

(2) recognises the renewed engagement of the Government in the Pacific, and the importance of Government ministers demonstrating this through recent visits across the region to reaffirm shared priorities;

(3) commends the many Pacific island countries that continue to be world-leading in their commitment to addressing climate change;

(4) notes that climate change poses an existential threat in the Pacific, including the likelihood of:

(a) more frequent and extreme weather events;

(b) impacts on access to fresh water;

(c) changes to industries such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism;

(d) coastal erosion and inundation; and

(e) impacts to biodiversity; and

(5) welcomes the Government prioritising the need to take action on climate change for the sake of future generations in Australia, elsewhere in the Pacific, and around the world.

A decade ago, I was lucky enough to live in Samoa. It was the most stunningly beautiful country, and everything about that place was vibrant. The landscape was lush, the ocean was made up of brilliant shades of blue and the sunsets felt like they were in technicolour—something I'd never experienced before. And the people, they were vibrant too: friendly and embracing—full-body laughs and outfits that were bright and loud. On special occasions, I still pull out my favourite pink-and-orange puletasi to wear. Besides Australia, it's one of my favourite places on earth.

But that country is under threat from climate change. When I was there a decade ago, climate change wasn't an existential threat: it was very real and it was very present. On this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific there were no climate change deniers, because the effects of climate change were being felt and seen every day. And it's gotten worse; if we do not act, Samoa will be wiped off the face of the earth. With the help of international assistance, the Samoan government has built sea walls to try to hold back the rising tide. Their efforts, while valiant, may have had some limited success in the short term but will ultimately prove to be futile. By 2030, the island's surrounding sea level will increase by up to 17 centimetres. Samoa and island nations in the Pacific are on the front line of climate change. Their pleas for action have gotten louder, and no-one can forget the image of Tuvalu's foreign minister, Simon Kofe, delivering his speech to the UN COP26 climate summit while standing knee-deep in seawater. He said:

… we are living the reality of climate change and sea-level rise, as you stand watching me today at COP26. We cannot wait for speeches, when the sea is rising around us all the time.

He wasn't engaging in melodrama he was engaging in reality, because Tuvalu is sinking, with 40 per cent of the atoll nation's capital already below sea level at high tide.

I feel their palpable sense of loss now. I felt it more than a decade ago when I lived in Samoa, but I feel it even more acutely now. To our friends in the Pacific: we have not forgotten you. The Albanese Labor government is deeply committed to taking real and significant action on climate at home, and establishing Australia as a climate leader internationally. We recognise that climate change is the single-greatest threat to the security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific. We will listen to our Pacific partners as we stand, shoulder to shoulder, responding to this crisis, and we will deliver new climate finance for the region.

At COP26 we announced $2 billion in climate finance for 2022 and 2025, a doubling of Australia's previous pledge. This includes a commitment of $700 million to build climate-change and disaster resilience in the Pacific. Early visits by our foreign minister and minister for international development across the Pacific islands sends a clear message about the importance of our relationship with the Pacific. It's a relationship where Australia will listen, learn and work together to build a stronger Pacific family.

I was in Samoa when they celebrated their 50th year of independence, in 2012, and I saw firsthand the pride Samoans had in their country. It was during the week-long festivities where I got to witness the celebratory exuberance of Samoans, and it was then that this island nation captured my heart and has held it ever since. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Samoa's independence. I hope we do everything we can to ensure that Samoans are able to celebrate their independence on home soil in another 10, 20 and 60 years to come. I commend the bill to the House.

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