Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Prime Minister. During the last election campaign you identified climate change as the greatest threat to our national security. In May 2022 your government committed to an urgent climate risk assessment by the Office of National Intelligence to help us understand the security risk of climate change. You've now had that report since November. Why hasn't it been released, and when will we see it?

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. This government has brought a heightened degree of transparency, when it comes to climate change, to this parliament and to this country. One of the most important things we've done is enshrined in law, in the Climate Change Act, that the climate change minister must report annually to parliament on progress against targets and on all other matters relating to climate change and to policies. That is something we're proud to have done. I've delivered the first climate change statement and will deliver the second later this year. This is a very important addition to transparency.

In relation to national security, we do say that climate change is a very real and significant issue in our national security. That's why the Prime Minister appointed me to the National Security Committee of Cabinet, for example—to make sure that that is represented around the national security table. In relation to the national security statement, of course, matters that are classified in relation to advice to the Prime Minister and the National Security Committee are treated accordingly. But we have brought that level of transparency, and I'm happy to provide further updates to the House accordingly.