19/09/2019
Peter Khalil: Today I’m tabling petitions on behalf of a very committed constituent of mine, Shannon Loughnane. Shannon walked all the way from Melbourne to Canberra during the election campaign to deliver thousands of signatures that he and a number of volunteers had collected. I saw him off in Coburg with my colleague the member for Cooper, and he walked all the way here to parliament and was welcomed by the now member for Canberra.
This petition highlights the existential crisis that we are facing and the actions necessary on climate change. The petition has 6,170 signatures and has been found to be in good order by the Petitions Committee. It’s just an example of not just my constituents’ concern but that of the majority of Australians who demand that the government acts on climate change, does something about climate change. And it is on behalf of all of my constituents, all the signatories and the vast number of Australians, that I speak in this place, as we all do here, about the need to act.
Like Shannon and many others, I believe that action on climate change should be a key priority for any responsible government. There’s no excuse for inaction, but there is hope. Australia can yet still be a leader in facing the challenge. The young people marching and protesting this Friday lead the way. We can invest in renewable energy, which is clean and creates jobs. We can act to reduce emissions. Instead, the government does nothing and we move further and further behind the benchmark set by people like Shannon. Well done, Shannon. To all the Australians, young and old, who care enough to take action: thank you.
The petition reads as follows —
This petition of certain citizens of Australia draws the attention of the House to the existential crisis of climate change. Scientists predict that with increased warming, we can expect more frequent and intense droughts, floods, bushfires and heatwaves. With rising sea levels, many low-lying nations and coastal cities will be compromised, worsening the refugee crisis. Most alarmingly, scientists also predict a fast-approaching ‘tipping point’ past which warming will exponentially increase beyond human control. The need to act is absolute. Urgent. Combatting climate change is a collective responsibility with worldwide, not merely national, ramifications. Our efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy shouldn’t be measured by how well or not we ‘outperform’ fellow nations, nor should we aim to meet bare minimums. Rather, we must overachieve – to reach for ever higher emission reductions and renewable energy production, and to make deeper, lasting contributions to global solutions. Our very survival depends on it.
We therefore ask the House to: • Declare a ‘climate emergency’, order the rapid mobilisation of resources commensurate with the crisis • Aggressively lift emission reductions to achieve net zero or net negative emissions by 2030 . • Aggressively pursue 100% renewable energy for all electricity generation, transportation, heating, cooling • Definitively ban the proposed carmichael coal mine, other large-scale fossil fuel exploitation projects • Take decisive measures to incentivise energy conservation, discourage hyper-consumption • Fund state/local sustainability projects, international aid for climate vulnerable nations • Finally, ratify climate policy such as above into legislation so that it may survive changes of government.
from 5,145 citizens (Petition No. PN0432)
This petition of certain citizens of Australia draws the attention of the House to the existential crisis of climate change. Scientists predict that with increased warming, we can expect more frequent and intense droughts, floods, bushfires and heatwaves. With rising sea levels, many low-lying nations and coastal cities will be compromised, worsening the refugee crisis. Most alarmingly, scientists also predict a fast-approaching ‘tipping point’ past which warming will exponentially increase beyond human control. The need to act is absolute. Urgent. Combatting climate change is a collective responsibility with worldwide, not merely national, ramifications. Our efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy shouldn’t be measured by how well or not we ‘outperform’ fellow nations, nor should we aim to meet bare minimums. Rather, we must overachieve – to reach for ever higher emission reductions and renewable energy production, and to make deeper, lasting contributions to global solutions. Our very survival depends on it.
We therefore ask the House to: • Declare a ‘climate emergency’, order the rapid mobilisation of resources commensurate with the crisis • Aggressively lift emission reductions to achieve net zero or net negative emissions by 2030 • Aggressively pursue 100% renewable energy for all electricity generation, transportation, heating, cooling • Definitively ban the proposed Carmichael coal mine, other large-scale fossil fuel exploitation projects • Take decisive measures to incentivise energy conservation, discourage hyper-consumption • Fund state/local sustainability projects, international aid for climate vulnerable nations • Finally, ratify climate policy such as above into legislation so that it may survive changes of government
from 1,025 citizens (Petition No. EN0869)
Petitions received.