Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes with concern that the current wildfires in California are the deadliest and most destructive cluster of fires in California's history;

(b) expresses sympathy for the loved ones of the more than 40 people who have died, and for the thousands who have lost their properties;

(c) notes that extreme weather events, such as these fires, will become more frequent and more extreme as the climate changes;

(d) further notes that in Australia, in 2009, 173 people died as a result of the Black Saturday bushfires and 980 people died in the lead-up to those fires; and

(e) rejects claims by former Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott, that climate change is "probably doing good; or at least, more good than harm", and confirms that climate change will result in an increase worldwide in deaths from heat stress, malnutrition and extreme weather events.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government extends its condolences to the victims of the current wildfires in California. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and our great admiration is with the firefighters, emergency workers and volunteers as they battle against the fires. Australia will continue to work with other countries to ensure we put in place best-practice approaches to resilience, mitigation and disaster relief responses to extreme weather events, including bushfires.

Question agreed to.