Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. Is the minister aware of a report from the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts and their inquiry into climate change and environmental impacts on coastal communities? Given that I am aware that this report specifies some concerns about Kakadu National Park and I am a senator for the Northern Territory, can the minister outline some of the key findings of this report?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Crossin for the question and for her interest in climate change, our response to it and the risks for the Northern Territory as well as for the rest of Australia. This report is an important and timely reminder of the significant impact that climate change will have in this nation if we do not act now to reduce Australia’s contribution to climate change. As the report notes, the majority of Australians—some 85 per cent of the population or thereabouts—live in the coastal zone, and climate change impacts on the Australian coastal zone include rising sea levels, more intense storms, larger wave and storm surges, altered precipitation and run-off, and ocean acidification. The report said that the concentration of Australia’s population and infrastructure along the coast makes us particularly vulnerable to the coastal erosion and inundation that will accompany increases in sea levels.

The report highlights some of the costs of climate change for Australia’s coastal communities. Coastal flooding, erosion and other hazards currently cost New South Wales around $200 million a year. Twenty per cent of Tasmania’s coastline would be at risk from sea-level rise and more severe storm surges associated with climate change. A 10-centimetre rise in sea levels would mean up to six times as many extreme events as there are currently in a range of cities, including Darwin. According to one submission referenced in the report, preliminary estimates of the value of property in Australia exposed to the risk of land being inundated or eroded by rising sea levels range from $50 billion to $150 billion. This gives us some sense of the economic costs of climate change and of the urgency of action now to reduce Australia’s contribution to climate change.

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that no-one from the opposition was listening to the answer, I am tempted to ask the same question again. But I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister outline to the Senate the government’s response to the report? What action is the government planning to take on climate change?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We on this side do take climate change seriously. We also honour our commitment to the Australian people to act on climate change and we look forward to the legislation being passed through the parliament. The government will carefully consider the findings of the inquiry and work closely with other levels of government, the private sector, management bodies and experts. We are already progressing a range of initiatives. First, there is the National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment, which I anticipate being able to release soon, which will improve our understanding of the risks that communities around Australia’s coastline face, including to residential housing. An economic analysis of climate change impacts on nationally significant infrastructure is already underway. We have already provided some $2.3 million to over 90 councils to undertake climate change risk assessments and to develop adaptation action plans. And we announced $10 million to fund research into the human health impacts of climate change earlier this year. (Time expired)

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Finally, in addition to outlining how the government is planning to respond to the impact of climate change on our coast, what steps is the government taking to help avoid climate change?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is timely for all of us in this place to remember that this generation has lost the chance to avoid climate change altogether because there is already enough carbon pollution in the atmosphere to lock in some climate change.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How much?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we do have is the opportunity to reduce the risk, and thank you for that interjection, Senator Abetz. I note Senator Abetz has made some reference to the response to this report. He said:

Chances are you would have to go into the business of making gumboots, because people will be getting very wet feet.

I assume that that is Senator Abetz’s version of why it is we need to act on climate change, and if that is his motivation I thank him for that, as long as it does bring him to a point where he is able to support the government’s legislation to take action on climate change. If he does vote for it on the basis that it is good for the gumboot makers, certainly the government would be happy to have him help see passage of the legislation. (Time expired)