Tuesday, 8 September 2026

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (14:37): Last week the UN published a report titled Limiting Overshoot, conceding Earth is hurtling past the 1.5-degree climate tipping point accepted in the Paris agreement. It is now a question of how far over we go. It is no longer just data or hypotheticals; we are already living the climate crisis. Our oceans recently hit a record high average temperature of 21.1 degrees Celsius. We are heading into the worst El Niño event in recorded history, and two weeks ago apocalyptic flash floods tore through Nepal and Tibet as a result of glacial collapse, killing over 1300 people, with approximately 5000 still missing. Five days after this event Anthony Albanese flew into Palau to meet with Pacific Island leaders whose countries are existentially threatened by fossil fuel driven climate change. Yet back at home his Labor government was signing off on the BHP Grevillea pit continuation project – the 37th coal, oil or gas project approved since coming into office – and Minister for Resources Madeleine King was being snapped gleefully turning on the tap to extract the first gas in the Beetaloo Basin project. It honestly makes my blood boil. Labor are climate criminals betraying us, our children and our fellow humans all over the world who are living and dying because of their unapologetic and unrelenting embrace of fossil fuels. They do not deserve to be in government, and it is up to all of us to stop them.