Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister McKenzie, representing the Minister for Natural Disasters and Emergency Management. Bushfire victims are suffering from the climate crisis. It's not just 11,000 global scientists telling us about the climate emergency we're in. Affected mayors, Rural Fire Service captains and bushfire survivors themselves are all being reported making the clear link between these intense bushfires and the climate crisis. Will you acknowledge this link? Or do you agree with the Nationals leader, Minister McCormack, that climate change is only the concern of 'raving inner-city lunatics'?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters, we do this dance—and usually it is with Senator Di Natale, so it is lovely to have a different partner today. I don't know how often I can stand in this place and say I accept the science of climate change, our government does. We have got a suite of initiatives across all portfolios to bring down and reduce emissions. I'm happy to go to the initiatives in my own portfolio as agriculture minister which take climate change seriously and take getting our emissions down seriously. We can do that dance.

We know that climate change is causing heatwaves, fire weather and drought to become more frequent and intense. We know that. That's why we've got a raft of measures across government to actually deal with this. We're going to see sea levels rise. We're going to see a whole suite of changes across our continent and that is why we're going to keep our international commitments and reduce our emissions—$3.5 billion of our climate reductions fund to give practical measures to help small businesses and communities lower their emissions and to do their bit.

To come in here day after day as if somehow my response will change—it won't change. From agriculture's perspective, we're looking at how we can assist with soil degradation. The Landcare movement is playing a frontline role in assisting our environment and our farmers to adapt. A couple of weeks ago at the AGMIN conference, all of Australia's agriculture ministers put forward climate action around agriculture. I recommend you actually read that document before standing up here and somehow using the misery of those who are in regional New South Wales and Queensland to your political advantage.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator McKenzie. Senator Waters, a supplementary question?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this year over 20 former fire chiefs and fire experts wrote to the Prime Minister warning of catastrophic fire risk because of the climate crisis and saying that Australia's services were unprepared, including in relation to water bombers. They asked to meet with the natural disaster and emergency management minister and the Prime Minister, but they were fobbed off. In fact, this morning they were insulted by Minister McCormack on national radio. Minister, why is the government ignoring these and other experts, and when will your government apologise to the people of New South Wales and Queensland who— (Time expired)

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You've asked what our government is doing to prepare for and reduce the effects of climate-related natural disasters. We're investing $130.5 million to deliver the risk reduction initiatives at a national, state and local—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator McKenzie. Senator Waters, on a point of order?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With respect, I asked specifically when the government is going to apologise to people facing—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters—

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

these catastrophic fires and why you didn't—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters, please stop it. You're repeating part of the question that came after the time the question expired.

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's because I'd like an answer.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please cease talking when I'm making a ruling. You didn't ask all of that question within the allotted time. I apologise in advance if I wasn't, but I was taking notes, and because you went over the time limit the minister's entitled to answer the part of the question that was asked.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm very happy to put on the record how seriously our government is treating climate change and its impact when it comes to natural disasters. As I was saying, $130.5 million to meet the need for authoritative climate and disaster risk information. We've got pilot projects in the supply chain and freight sector to be completed in 2019. We've published tools to support all decision-makers to take better account of disasters when they make decisions that affect our communities across all sectors of society, and we've got the Australian Disaster Preparedness Framework for severe to catastrophic disasters, which is a framework where we work with others to actually ensure it rolls out— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters, a final supplementary question?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Back in 2006, under Prime Minister Howard, CSIRO and the bureau advised government that extreme fire days would increase by up to 25 per cent by 2020. Here we are. You can't say you weren't warned. Why is the Morrison government doing everything in its power to make these sorts of catastrophic fires more likely by its climate denial and inaction?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters, I don't know how often I can stand up—and I've stood up for eight years—and say the same thing. Here we go again. You know what? I know it doesn't suit your political purposes to have a coalition government that accepts the science of climate change. I know that doesn't suit you; it makes all things a little tricky. But we've got real money on the table to support our communities to reduce emissions and to do our bit as a responsible global partner to reach our Paris targets. For you to come in here and politicise the misery that is actually going on in there, as if somehow we're not doing anything—again, I'm very happy to go to what our government is doing. I mean, bushfire—yes, climate change. There are other recommendations made by state governments around land management practices. How do we actually access water at a time of need? What about back-burns and firebreaks— (Time expired)