Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Acting on climate change is so vitally important. That's exactly what our government, the Albanese Labor government, is doing. It's a really important issue for my community, as it is right across the nation. It's so important for our environment and for the economic opportunities that it brings, particularly to those in regional Australia. In the regions, we are at the front line of climate change when it comes to natural disasters. In my area we had the severe 2022 floods. People in my region know we have to see action on climate change, and that's what the Albanese Labor government is doing. It's so important

Yet what we see from those across from us, the Liberals and the Nationals, is the National Party now abandoning net zero. That is just appalling and disappointing. People in my community are really annoyed about that because we know it's the regions that have so much to gain from acting on climate change. It's about the economic opportunities that are there as well as protecting our environment. It's only the Albanese Labor government that's taking that firm, decisive action when it comes to climate change.

You can particularly see it in our Cheaper Home Batteries Program. In my electorate we have one of the highest take-ups for New South Wales. I think, as of a few days ago, it was 1,233 and growing every single day. People right across my region and across the nation know that we need to act on climate change. Yet, disappointingly, we see the Nationals abandoning that and we see more infighting after a decade of inaction from them. They just keep continuing with their negativity when it comes to one of the most important issues of our time.

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