Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table a petition that has been endorsed by the Petitions Committee.

Leave granted.

The petition read as follows—

This petition of concerned people of the electorate of Cowan, draws to the attention of the House the severe and urgent threat that climate change poses to the health, well-being and security of all people around the world, particularly our poorest and most vulnerable neighbours. We remind the House that Australia's greenhouse emissions are the highest per person among wealthy nations while our emissions reduction targets are among the weakest.

We therefore ask the House to do all in its power to protect communities in Australia and our region from the harmful impacts of climate change - such as more severe heat, extreme and unpredictable weather and rising seas - by: committing to deeper and more urgent reductions of our greenhouse emissions; developing a plan to ensure Australia achieves zero net greenhouse emissions well before 2050, and supporting families and communities affected by the transition towards renewable energy and more sustainable land use; providing additional assistance to help our poorest neighbours adapt to the harmful impacts of climate change.

from 654 citizens.

This petition is called the 'community climate petition'. It has 654 signatures, and it was coordinated by Micah and TEAR Australia. It is a petition that represents a number of faith-based organisations coming together to help Australian communities speak boldly for better laws and policies to stop damaging our climate. Specifically, the petition asks for a commitment to deeper and more urgent reductions of our greenhouse emissions, developing a plan to ensure Australia achieves zero net greenhouse emissions before 2050, supporting families and communities affected by the transition towards renewable energy and more sustainable land use, and providing additional assistance to help our poorest neighbours adapt to the harmful impacts of climate change.

I met with Greg Leach, Louise Dillon and Steve McKinnon from TEAR Australia in my office some time ago, and they represented to me as very strong and committed members of their faith communities who believe very strongly that they share a responsibility for their world, to not harm others, to be fair and to care for the vulnerable. The groups that are involved in this climate petition are firsthand witnesses to how the consequences of damage to our climate are already hurting people and other species with which we share the earth. (Time expired)