Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. It is a very good question because it goes to the impact of climate change and the response to climate change on food production, so let us consider it in those two categories. On the impact of climate change, we are engaged in this debate in the first place because climate change and its impact on drought, on fires and on water supply right across Australia is impacting agriculture. Those opposite, led by the National Party, scoff at this fact. Those opposite and the National Party in particular, led by the leader of the National Party, the alternative Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, should reflect on what ABARE has said in its stats on this. What does ABARE say about the impact of climate change on agriculture? Wheat is to fall in production by 9.2 per cent by 2030 and 13 per cent by 2050.

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