Steve Gibbons (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Is it the case that climate change is projected to lead to more severe heatwaves, intense cyclones and floods, severe storms, more extreme bushfires and sea level rises? What is the government doing to ensure that the emergency management sector is better able to prepare and respond to these more frequent and intense natural disasters?

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Bendigo for his question and I congratulate him and indeed other members of this House who have been such passionate and determined advocates for their electorates who have suffered the consequences of natural disasters. The people of his electorate, like indeed all Australians, are unquestionably concerned about the likelihood of more severe and frequent natural disasters.

The facts are that climate change is real and, as the honourable member said, it is projected to lead to more intense cyclones, floods and storms, more heatwaves and droughts and indeed, unfortunately, to even greater bushfire risks. For instance, by 2030 it is estimated that we will face up to 20 per cent more months of drought and up to 25 per cent more days of very high or greater fire danger. The increased risk to human beings, to property, to infrastructure and to our natural environment is obvious.

Last week we saw extensive fires throughout Australia but very intense fires in South Australia. Over the weekend we saw temperatures of over 40 degrees in New South Wales, with winds gusting up to 70 kilometres an hour. This resulted in some 141 different fires around that state alone. They were fought by 1,000 firefighters, including two teams from the ACT, and we are grateful, of course, for that. There were 75 aircraft involved and 550 fire trucks. The Commonwealth government was pleased to make the Richmond Air Force base available to assist the aerial firefighting effort.

We of course are very grateful to all those who risked their personal safety both over the weekend and last week, but it shows the tremendous cost to the community, not only in terms of fighting fires but in terms of responding. In the past year, for instance, the Commonwealth has paid nearly $300 million in natural disaster relief and recovery payments, and this amount will substantially increase in response to the more intense and more frequent natural disasters. Given that that money matches contributions from state governments, it shows that the burden on Australian taxpayers from natural disasters is intense and will likely increase.

Last Friday I chaired the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management. It was highly productive and I certainly thank my state and territory counterparts for their very constructive contributions. We endorsed a number of initiatives including a National Catastrophic Natural Disaster Plan, we developed a national work plan to reduce bushfire arson, and significantly the meeting also endorsed a National Climate Change Adaption Plan. The plan, essentially, will ensure that climate change adaption strategies are integral to emergency management, planning, response and recovery.

This bushfire season unquestionably poses great risks. On 20 October I made a comprehensive statement to the House about our preparations for this season. Of course, the Commonwealth stands ready to assist states and territories, in whatever way we can, to confront the challenge that faces all Australians, particularly those in rural and regional Australia and those on the urban fringe. I remind all Australians, particularly those in high-risk areas, to do everything they can to be prepared for bushfires, to be vigilant and to follow the instructions of emergency personnel.

Again, and I should emphasise this, if we are serious in doing all we can to protect our local communities from natural disasters—and I know that all members from both sides of this House are—then we cannot ignore the reality, we cannot ignore the evidence, we cannot ignore the facts. We have an obligation to do whatever we reasonably can do to mitigate the effects of climate change.