Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to inform the parliament about the urgent humanitarian situation facing Somalia as a result of the prolonged drought. Poor rainfall over the last year has led to failed crops and perishing livestock, so that acute malnutrition is widespread across the country. People living in the most drought affected areas have confronted disease outbreaks, food insecurity and limited access to water. The United Nations has warned:

Unless a massive and urgent scale up of humanitarian assistance takes place in the coming weeks, famine could soon be a reality in some of the worst drought-affected areas in Somalia.

It estimates the number of people in need of food assistance as 6.2 million. Members of Melbourne's Puntland community inform me that, in the regions of Puntland and Somaliland, nearly 385,000 people face acute food insecurity.

Australia has a responsibility to act in response to this crisis. What we are seeing in Somalia now is a sign of what is to come if we do not take urgent action to curb climate change. Scientists are telling us that climate change will mean changes to rainfall patterns, and records indicate there has already been a decrease in rainfall in parts of northern Africa. These are regions where many people depend on agriculture and are highly vulnerable to food insecurity.

In raising this important issue in parliament, I would particularly like to acknowledge the advocacy of Hani Ahmed, who from Melbourne regularly raises funds and support for initiatives to support education and health in Puntland. She has been active in calling on Australia to act in the face of this humanitarian emergency, and I support this call.