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

My question is to Minister McKenzie, the Minister representing the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management. Minister, Aaron Crowe, from Warrawillah on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, whose house is now in ashes, told the media yesterday: 'In this bucket is my house. When's the time to talk about climate change, then, if I'm standing in the wreckage of my own house?' Minister, what is your answer to Mr Crowe's question?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Di Natale. It's great to have you back with us. As you will have noticed, during this whole week the parliament has been moved by Australians who are suffering through the most catastrophic bushfire event that our nation has seen. We know that Australians have lost their lives and that hundreds of Australians are without a home, having lost all their worldly belongings—their family photo albums et cetera. As I said in this place earlier on in this week, and as others have said—Senator Wong and Senator Cormann—now is not the time to be debating policy. We need to be very careful, as leaders in our community, about politicising what is one of the most catastrophic bushfire seasons in living memory. Fires are caused by a variety of factors—climate change; drought, which makes the fuel load drier and more combustible; and fuel management. We know, when we're looking after our natural resources, whether they be our state or national parks, that our state and territory governments have to get those practices right. Scientists and firefighters have made it clear that these are the areas that we need to address as a community so that we can address the severe impacts and the risks that they provide to our broader Australian community, now and into the future.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, a supplementary question?

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

Thank you, Minister. Gemma Plesman and her family lost their houses on their property near Grafton. She said: 'We've never experienced anything like this. People who are struggling to survive want everyone to know this is a climate emergency.' Minister, do you hear Ms Plesman's pleas and do you acknowledge that we are indeed in a climate emergency?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely I acknowledge the horrific circumstances that Gemma has found herself in and that hundreds of Australians in New South Wales and Queensland have found themselves in this week and will, if the weather reports are true, continue to find themselves in in coming weeks. Local MPs are on the ground right now in evacuation centres, comforting and supporting their communities, whoever they are. We have volunteers and paid firefighters from not just their home states but right around the country and internationally assisting our communities to deal with these horrific fires.

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

A point of order on relevance: the question was very narrow. I did ask whether the minister acknowledged Ms Plesman's pleas that we're in a climate emergency. I just point to that specific aspect of the question, which was indeed the entirety of the question.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate that, Senator Di Natale. On this issue I was giving ministers and people around the chamber, through the course of the week, some liberality, given the sensitivity of the matter, but you've reminded the minister of the specific nature of your question. I call the minister to continue.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, as I've said in this chamber many times in response to your questions and your party's questions, I accept the science of climate change and so does our government, which is why we have a raft of measures to actually bring down emissions, meet our international commitments and ensure that we do everything we can to keep Australians safe.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator McKenzie. Senator Di Natale, a final supplementary question?

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

Benjamin Huie evacuated his house at Great Mackerel Beach. He describes himself as a conservative, actually, but he said that the bushfires are encouraged by climate change. Indeed, he said, 'A conservative would want to be sure, would want to be safe, and would want to take action before it happens so you're not just lying back and going, "Oh, here it all comes."' Minister, do you accept that it's time to take action on climate change, which means having a plan to phase out coal, oil and gas and replace them with renewable energy?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left and right.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator Di Natale, I don't know how often I can stand up and say this. I know it doesn't fit your narrative of me or my party or this side of the chamber that we accept the science of climate change and have got real and practical initiatives to reduce emissions across the country—from the $10 million we're providing to dairy farmers, to renovate their electricity costs and get into the renewable market, to the $3.5 billion climate reduction fund that we have to help small businesses and communities, to reduce their emissions, so that we can do our part as a nation and meet our international commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The horrific tragedies you've outlined for the Senate today really reflect everything we've been talking about for the last three days, which is standing with our regional communities who are being impacted by this horrific and catastrophic event and standing up for our rural firefighters.