Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. In The Lancet today, one of the world's premier medical journals, there was a study that was released into the human health impacts from global warming, many of which are actually occurring right now. It goes on to say that we are at risk of reversing the health gains of the past 50 years, if no action is taken. I have a fairly straightforward question: does the minister accept the information published in The Lancet that the health impacts from global warming are occurring right now, here in Australia?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, although I do not read The Lancet myself, I am familiar with the fact that it is a prestigious medical journal. I am familiar with the fact that it is one of hundreds of prestigious medical journals. And if your profession, the medical profession, Senator Di Natale, was anything like my profession, there would be a wide variety of opinions expressed in the pages of all of those distinguished journals.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Wow! I hope you do not get lots of different opinions when you have got pain in your chest!

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The question is for the minister—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, on my left and my right. Order on both sides.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My supplementary question is around the evidence citing the very damaging effect of coal—the cardiovascular and respiratory impacts. The Lancet makes it very clear that coal combustion has very damaging health impacts in those areas. Does the government continue to state that coal is good for humanity, or does it support the evidence in The Lancet?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, the government unequivocally says that it believes that coal is good for humanity, and it unequivocally says that it believes that coal, in particular, is good for Australia, because, Senator Di Natale, human flourishing depends on a lot of things, and one of the things it depends upon is giving poorer people the best opportunities. If we have low energy prices and low electricity bills because we have some of the cheapest coal in the world, that is a good thing, and it is, in particular, a good thing for people at the bottom of the income scale, while your decision to support a carbon tax, I might say, was such a socially unjust decision—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. I asked specifically about the evidence in The Lancet and whether the minister agreed with the evidence that was cited around the health impacts of coal.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, and your question was broader than that; you did include whether coal was good for humanity, and the minister did answer towards that part of your question. Minister, have you finished your answer?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am happy to continue and address the first part of the question. Senator Di Natale, I will take you at your word that some medical scientists or doctors have written an article in The Lancet that says what you say. I refuse to believe that there is a uniformity of opinion in your profession on medical issues.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. My question is around the evidence cited in The Lancet around the impact from extreme weather events—heatwaves and cyclones. I want to know: what specific action is the government taking to ensure that our health system is prepared for these challenges?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator Di Natale, I think I answered that question in part in answer to an earlier question from the opposition. We are increasing the Commonwealth's contribution to health and hospital funding by 25 per cent over the next four years. Let me just repeat that for you, Senator Di Natale: we are increasing the Commonwealth's investment in health and hospital funding by 25 per cent over the next four years—a decision that I would have thought you, as a medical practitioner, would have welcomed.

In relation to the health effects that are asserted or alleged to be consequential upon global warming, I know, as you do, Senator Di Natale, that there is a vigorous debate in the community about whether and, if so, what those health effects are.