Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday I was privileged to meet with representatives of Micah Australia who were here campaigning for greater action on climate change in the Pacific. Asia and Pacific nations are on the frontline of climate change. In 2015, 160 disasters were reported in the region, causing over 16,000 deaths and billions of dollars in economic loss. It is a particular issue for low-lying states like Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Kiribati. Climate change for them is not a looming threat; it is a present danger.

Disaster events are set to increase in our region. In addition to responding in a reactive way, we need to ensure that communities are resilient and prepared in the face of these disasters. That is why it is so important for Australia to help in the effort to reduce climate change and mitigate the impact it is having on many poverty-stricken international communities in our neighbourhood. Australia's contribution to international climate finance has not increased significantly since the last Labor government, as a result of massive cuts to foreign aid by the Turnbull and Abbott governments.

Australia has a responsibility to our neighbours to help them cope with the challenges that they currently face and to take effective action on climate change. This should include an economy-wide emissions trading scheme and real action on renewable energy. Over 4,000 Australians have signed Oxfam's postcards to Josh Frydenberg, urging the minister to commit to greater action on climate change. I congratulate them and I thank Micah Challenge for raising this important issue.