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

I thank the honourable member for his question. It is interesting that he raises a question on climate change because, in the midst of the debate on climate change in the parliament, I am advised it is some 30 days since we have had any questions in this parliament from those opposite on climate change. I am told it is considerably longer since we have had a question on the economy. And I am told it is in fact many, many days indeed since we have had a question on education and whole other areas of concern to working families everywhere.

The question goes to the current weather circumstances in Australia. I would say to those opposite, particularly the climate change deniers and sceptics opposite, that, as one of the hottest and driest inhabited continents on earth, Australia’s environment and economy will be one of the hardest and fastest hit by climate change if we do not act now, act globally and act nationally. At its very core, climate change is about rising global temperatures.

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