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

I assume from the interjecting member from Western Australia that it is simply a coincidence that 13 of the 14 warmest years on record occurred between 1995 and 2008. Fact No. 2 is that Australia has experienced warmer than average annual temperatures for 17 of the last 19 years. Again, that would just be an unhappy coincidence on the part of those who interject from opposition benches. Third, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, for the first two weeks of November much of south-east Australia has experienced daytime temperatures more than six degrees centigrade above average, with temperatures peaking in the range 39 to 45 degrees across most inland areas.

I draw the House’s attention also, importantly, to what the Bureau of Meteorology is saying about the week right now. The Bureau of Meteorology weather forecast indicates for the week 16 to 20 November we are likely to see these conditions continue with temperatures in the range of 40 to 45 degrees becoming widespread.

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