Page 3916 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 25 September 2019
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As Minister Orr and others have made clear, there is no proposal that will force people to pay for the removal of gas heating, water or cooking. But if households want to voluntarily make the switch, why should we not support them? That is exactly what this strategy sets out. This is a climate strategy which is a reasonable, measured response to the very real threat of climate change. Canberrans, young and old, have expressed their concern about how climate change is impacting upon their lives.
The government have responded in the past and we are going to keep responding now and into the future. This is a detailed plan with measures on how we can continue to lead the nation in protecting our environment for future generations, and I am pleased to have been able to speak about it today. I commend the motion.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong—Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Minister for Corrections and Justice Health, Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety and Minister for Mental Health) (6.23): I thank Mr Gupta for bringing this motion to the Assembly. I am conscious that I do not have a whole lot of time left to speak but, having made some remarks in question time today, I feel I have perhaps had something to say already. I am certainly pleased to discuss the climate change strategy and the living infrastructure plan which, with the Chief Minister, I released last week. I am pleased to say that it has been received very positively in most of the community, outside the Canberra Liberals’ echo chamber. Indeed, around Australia more broadly it has had a very positive reaction.
Together, the documents set out the next phase of the ACT’s response to climate change and provide the next steps on the pathway to achieving a resilient, net zero emissions Canberra by 2045. Climate change is a massive global challenge that requires urgent action. We are already seeing the impacts of climate change, both locally and around the world.
We are seeing species extinctions. The world just had its hottest six months on record. There were massive heatwaves across the Northern Hemisphere. The Amazon is burning on a scale never seen before. The scientists are telling us our carbon budget to stay below two degrees is fast evaporating. Students are striking from school. Overall, we are seeing significant impacts and significant reaction where people are demanding stronger action from their leaders, whether it is in politics, in business or in the community. People understand this and they want real action.
The community is very concerned and our local community here in Canberra is very positive about climate change action. Nearly 90 per cent of the ACT community recognise climate change as a genuine problem for the future and understand the need to act now to reduce its impacts. To fail to take action on climate change is to fail the community and to saddle them with more difficulty and more costs. If we fail to take action on climate change, it is the most vulnerable in our community who will struggle the most.
It is critical that we take steps to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. The actions that we have taken so far in the ACT have brought significant environmental, economic and social benefits. Just one example: through our world-leading transition
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