Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. The 2019-20 bushfires resulted in about 450 deaths due to direct injury and air pollution exposure and they sent thousands of people to hospital emergency departments with respiratory and heart problems. Last November was the hottest November on record. Leading health bodies, including the AMA, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, the Australian College of Nursing and the majority of peak medical bodies, have declared climate change a health emergency. Will the government declare the climate crisis a health emergency?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Siewert for her question. Senator Siewert, you would be aware that climate change is a global challenge for all countries, including Australia, and all of us need to take action to mitigate and adapt to its impacts. As part of the Australian government's response the Australian government is focused on developing a sustainable and responsive health system—you asked the Minister for Health the question—with a range of programs that can be expanded or operationalised to respond to emerging pressures, including those that are climate related.

Indeed, the Australian government released its National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy in 2015. I'm sure you are aware, Senator Siewert, that the strategy recognises that in Australia national and subnational governments, businesses, households and communities all have different but important roles in managing climate risks, including those that impact on health and wellbeing. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework, which, as you know, was released in April 2019, provides the big picture for the work that government, industries, businesses, not-for-profits, communities and individuals in Australia must do together so that we can live successfully with these hazards, and the hazards that you have referred to in your question to me, for decades to come.

In terms of the practical steps that the government is taking, we are working with the states and territories to ensure that Australia's capacity to respond to the health impacts of climate change are appropriate and effective. They include the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which, as you are aware, has identified climate change as a health protection priority. The committee has, in fact, asked its National Health Emergency Standing Committee to develop a national heat health framework.

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

Senator Siewert, a supplementary question?

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The World Health Organization calls the climate crisis one of the greatest threats to our health. The Grattan Institute and the MJA-Lancet Countdown have called it the greatest health risk facing future generations. Why doesn't Australia's long-term national health plan address the climate crisis?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Siewert, I've just taken you through some of the steps that the government is undertaking in response to the issues that you have raised. As I've stated, the government in 2015 released its National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy. In April 2019 the government released the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework. In addition to that, as I've said, the government is working with the states and territories in particular to ensure that Australia's capacity to respond to the health impacts of climate change are appropriate and effective.

I was unable to say to you in answer to your primary question that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has also tasked the Environmental Health Standing Committee with reviewing the science of the health effects of prolonged smoke exposure—you raised smoke exposure in your primary question. In fact, they published a statement on 7 August 2020. The government is also taking action in direct response to the health impacts of the 2019-20 bushfire crisis. (Time expired)

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

Senator Siewert, a final supplementary question?

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leading health researchers and health bodies are urging an accelerated response to reducing emissions and preparing health systems. Does the government agree that net zero emissions should be achieved by 2035 and that that's essential if we are to protect the health of future generations?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Siewert, I refer you to the incredibly eloquent answers that the Leader of the Government in the Senate gave every time a question on this was raised. The government are committed to achieving this as soon as possible, and that is why we have put in place the practical actions that we are taking to ensure that we respond to climate change, which, as I've said, is a global challenge for all countries, including Australia. Unfortunately, the difference between those of us on the government side of the chamber and those in the Australian Greens is that we are putting in place practical actions to ensure that we tackle climate change. You, for some reason, just don't seem to like the practical actions that we're putting in place, and yet to date the practical actions that we have put in place have been successful.