Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I speak today for the increasing number of Australians who have to endure relentless heatwaves, impacting not only their safety and wellbeing but also the capacity of our hospital systems to meet an ever-increasing demand. 2024 was again our hottest year on record, yet this Labor government has continued to subsidise, extend and approve new fossil fuel projects. Not only does the burning of fossil fuels impact our water and food resources, but air pollution from these industries kills more people than smoking. For many people, it is increasingly making their living conditions unlivable.

Over summer, Perth has struggled through 25 days over 35 degrees, with back-to-back heatwaves breaking records yet again. In WA, we are seeing temperatures of over 45, cooking large areas of our state. The poor folks of Geraldton hit a whopping 49.3 degrees Celsius for a second year in a row.

It may be difficult to imagine from the cool corridors of parliament, but many Australians without access to aircon in their homes or in their workplaces experience these summer temperatures as incredibly stressful times. For those experiencing poverty or homelessness, these conditions can be downright dangerous. Older Australians, disabled people and those with chronic health conditions are also at risk of exacerbated health challenges.

Climate hazards like heatwaves and bushfires are putting further pressure on our emergency departments and our hospitals. A study from Curtin University in Perth found a strong link between bushfire smoke and hospital admissions for heart and lung problems, with those in disadvantaged areas at much higher risk. In December, paramedics in Perth responded to the largest number of heat related emergency calls they've received in the last five years, leading to over 1,000 hours of ambulance ramping in a week at Perth hospitals.

Our hospitals are already strained to capacity. Thirty per cent of patients remain waiting in emergency eight hours after their arrival. In WA, on average, it takes over 14 hours for 90 per cent of people to be admitted to ED. This is not down to a lack of compassion, skill or willingness from healthcare workers to support our community; this is down to a poor state of resourcing, a lack of planning and bad decision-making.

This is why the Greens recently announced an investment of $30 billion into local public hospitals across the nation and will work to achieve this in the next parliament. We are committed to delivering world-class public health care here in Australia. WA would receive an additional $3 billion for public hospitals over the next decade. I've heard so many nurses and doctors who have reached out to me and expressed how desperately they need our government's support. There is no reason why we cannot make this a reality. It's time for the major parties to stop passing the buck between the state and territory and federal governments, and invest the money needed to ensure everyone can access the best possible health care at our public hospitals. We are dealing with two major parties who are prioritising private industry over our public health systems, who are privatising tax handouts to fossil fuel giants instead of stopping the root of the climate crisis at its source. This must end. Our communities have spoken. There must be no more coal and gas, no more underfunding of our public hospitals. It is not revolutionary to say that Australians deserve a government that prioritises their wellbeing.