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

My question is to the Prime Minister. You recently said: 'Keeping Australians safe is our highest priority. It's the first duty of my government and, indeed, every government.' Prime Minister, we know that burning more coal will make global warming worse. Scientists tell us that it may mean fewer cyclones, but they will be more intense when they hit. But on the very day that Queenslanders were preparing—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Melbourne will resume his seat. Members on my right will cease interjecting. The member for Melbourne is entitled to ask his question. The member for Melbourne will begin his question again.

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

My question is to the Prime Minister. You recently said: 'Keeping Australians safe is our highest priority. It's the first duty of my government and, indeed, every government.' We know that burning more coal will make global warming worse. Scientists tell us it may mean fewer cyclones, but they will be more intense when they hit. But on the very day Queenslanders were preparing for Cyclone Debbie, your resources minister dropped a front-page story spruiking a new coal-fired power station in that very state, and you backed him. Given the destruction that cyclones wreak upon our country, why do you push policies like burning more coal, which will make cyclones more intense? Doesn't your duty to keep Australians safe include doing everything you can to stop cyclones becoming more violent?

Mr Pitt interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hinkler will leave under standing order 94(a).

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tropical Cyclone Debbie made landfall as a category 4 cyclone around midday yesterday, with destructive winds of up to 270 kilometres an hour. Right now, 1,200 men and women of the Australian Defence Force and thousands of other emergency workers are there, cleaning up the wreckage left by the cyclone, ensuring that the energy, the electricity, to 63,000 homes is restored and ensuring that Australians are safe and that they recover from this cyclone. Every other member of this House is committed to supporting those people of North Queensland, and the honourable member wants to take this occasion to make his own political point. Mr Speaker, that question was contemptible. Now is the time to pull together, as we all have—state and federal, opposition and government—and stand behind the people of North Queensland, putting the men and women of the ADF, the volunteers and the emergency workers first to keep them safe. That is our commitment.

Government members: Hear, hear!