It is inevitable that we will turn away from fossils.
Whether they be in the form of individuals with antiquated views, or whether they be in the form of fuels.
Climate change is real.
There is consensus around that simple fact amongst scientists and the general population.
Shockingly, there are still individuals in the 46th Parliament who spout nonsense and deny this simple truth. For some reason we continuously provide these people with a microphone and a platform to espouse their unscientific views from.
Their reality is vastly different to the reality Australians live in.
We have just witnessed one of the most devastating bushfire seasons in living memory throughout 2019-20. We have also experienced devastating flooding and have been plagued with horrific droughts at the same time.
It is undeniable that climate change has played a part in these disasters.
Responsible governments ought to be putting sound environmental policies at the forefront of their legislative agenda. It is unconscionable that individuals will continue to seek out the spotlight by attacking environmental initiatives – especially when we have so far to go.
As a nation, we must support the development of environmental policies which are aimed at addressing the great challenge of climate change. A policy vacuum exists in this space, and it is ill-conceived to issue blatant attacks on the people and organisations that are willing to try and fill this void.
The Parliament, as it presently stands, is doing limited work in this space – so it seems utterly bizarre to me that individuals would seek to attack those who are doing the work that our nation’s leaders are, on the whole, failing to do themselves.
We need to be supporting the development of effective environmental policies.
We owe it to our children, and our children’s children, to finally cease being divided on this front.
Our nation’s future depends on us getting our response to this issue right – as does our economy’s future prosperity.
With leading energy providers and companies already shifting away from fossil fuels, it is inevitable that we will phase out their use.
Policy makers must not buck this trend. Our nation’s leaders must commit to facilitating future economic growth and prosperity by investing in the growing sectors of our modernizing economy.
Organisations such as the Labor Environmental Action Network (LEAN) have a crucial role to play in this space, and I am proud to be part of a party that encourages this sort of open dialogue.
