Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

While the minister is contemplating answers to the questions by Senator Milne, I also take the opportunity to ask the minister a few questions and perhaps take this debate back to the beginning to restate exactly why Australia needs to have a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. We have had discussion over the last 20 minutes or so about the impact of bushfires on Australia’s environment. As we know, all states have been affected by this—in particular, my own home state of South Australia. I recall last week we made mention in this chamber the devastating impact of the bushfires in South Australia that had been started in the context of a heatwave—one which was unprecedented in the history of South Australia; there were more than 15 days where the temperature was over 35 degrees. I recall the debate in the chamber about whether that appalling situation could be attributed to climate change. It was evident from the scientific evidence that had been put forward, including recent scientific evidence, that the climate of the earth is warming. That directly contributes to the situations, like the one we had in South Australia, where extraordinary temperatures led to the ignition of bushfires. They were not deliberately lit. There has been some discussion here today about anthropogenic fires versus natural wildfire. Those fires in South Australia were spontaneously lit. While we can debate how the emissions from such fires are accounted for in the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, I would like you to address in your answer, Minister, whether those bushfires are increasing—and with increasing intensity—like in our state of South Australia, and whether they can be attributable to global warming, which is an effect of the impact of human caused carbon emissions.