Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about climate change. Last week, I was presented with a petition by constituents of mine in the electorate of Hindmarsh: Susan Richardson, Dhar-mamodini Triratna and Scott de Lane. First of all, I'd like to thank this particular group for visiting me and getting in contact with my office regarding the urgent and deep issue of climate change. As some of you are likely to be aware, I have some of the most pristine beaches in Australia on the coastline of my electorate of Hindmarsh. My office is located in the area of Glenelg Beach, a seaside destination of many overseas and interstate tourists.

I see myself as a custodian of this planet, as we all should. I'm not sure that the government shares this view, but I want to pass on an environment that is cleaner and better than when I arrived, and that should be the aim of all of us in this place. I couldn't imagine leaving a world to the next generation that is warmer, dirtier and deadlier than ever before. We need to only look at some of the weather extremes in our own country and around the world, where we see storms that are much bigger, floods that are more prevalent and bushfires that are more common. As a custodian of the planet and an elected federal member, I was reminded by my good constituents of a great quote highlighting that we need to act: 'Action on climate change will, or may, cost something, but it won't cost the earth.' Without action, that's where we're heading—where it will cost the earth.

I'm often surprised in the House. For example, I was absolutely surprised when I saw the Treasurer carry a lump of coal into the chamber. For me and millions of other Australians, it highlighted one thing, and that is that the government just doesn't get it. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has been silenced by the former Prime Minister, the member for Warringah, and a whole bunch of anti-climate-change colleagues. I call on some of the moderate members on the government side to speak up about this very important issue, because sitting on the backbench and doing nothing is not an option when it comes to climate change. I call on members opposite to challenge their party leadership and act. Make this a priority before it's too late. The economic loss from inaction will be insurmountable if we don't do something now. I see that young people in my electorate get it. Younger generations are trying to tell the parliament to act, but the government just isn't listening.

We need to invest more money into green job projects, just like the South Australian government is doing at the moment. We need to provide more money to local government for flood mitigation due to rising sea-levels. We need to help communities fund better fire protection for their local areas and their local communities. We also need to support our Pacific neighbours. They are facing climate change right now, so we shouldn't be cutting the budgets of agencies and organisations that are trying to come up with solutions—for example, our aid workers, our scientists and our NGOs working in this area.

The time for tolerance of climate deniers in this place, in this parliament, should be over. If the vast majority of Australians get it, we should get it in this place. For example, the Climate Institute says that 77 per cent of people believe climate change is occurring and 90 per cent believe the federal government has an absolute responsibility to act, so let's get on with it before it's too late. I worry about how future generations will look back at our generation. For example, I don't want my grandson or his kids and his grandkids to read this speech in the Hansard in the not-too-distant future only to say, 'Why didn't they do more?'

So let's act now. And, if the government doesn't want to act—if the government is still denying that there is climate change occurring and if it continues to tolerate the climate change deniers and other interest groups hijacking the Liberal Party—the people will act for you.

Labor is ready for the challenges of the future. We take climate change seriously and we are ready to act. It's not all doom and gloom. The next generation of green jobs that can be exported overseas can be under a progressive, renewable energy policy. Yes, acting on climate change may cost something, but it won't cost the earth.