Tuesday, 20 February 2024

Climate change

Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (13:35): Over the past week our state has endured disastrous bushfires and storms that have destroyed approximately 60 homes and devastated a number of communities. Our emergency services and volunteers have once again rallied and supported people, with courage and compassion. We know that some firefighters were injured too, and we send our best wishes for their recovery.

Nearly half the homes in Pomonal in the Grampians region have been lost, and thousands are still without power after damage to infrastructure. Warnings were issued for the Wimmera, Mallee, northern country and central districts, amongst a range of places across the state. We are especially thinking of every affected community member, and we hope that you are able to access the support that you need. We have already learned from the 2022 climate disaster flooding events that the systems we rely on for our safety need to be resourced and maintained or else people fall through the gaps.

Across the country, heatwaves are also gripping the west of Australia, with 15 of the maximum temperatures recorded in the world in the last 24-hour period all being in Western Australia, with Carnarvon being the hottest with 49.9 degrees. Just think about that for a moment: nearly 50 degrees Celsius.

Climate change is here, and it is frightening. It is already throwing our world into havoc, and our systems, our infrastructure and our communities are not ready. We should all be doing everything that we can to raise the alarm, prevent further global warning and prepare our communities for what we are in store for. We should be getting off coal and gas.