MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster says debating climate change as the cause of catastrophic bushfires in NSW and Queensland is unhelpful political point-scoring.
Dr Webster on Thursday supported The Nationals leader Michael McCormack, who was roundly criticised for claiming “raving inner-city lunatics” were pushing the climate change agenda in the wake of the fires.
“People are suffering and when Michael McCormack made his comments last week, he was in the midst of the bushfire effects and talking with families and firefighters,” she said.
“To bring in what some would consider to be an academic, a high-level discussion about climate change in those circumstances is really inappropriate.
“As Australians, we are better than that, we care about our fellow men, women and children. We care about farmers that are suffering in drought.”
On Thursday former fire chiefs from across the country spoke of the climate emergency and urged the Federal Government to take action.
Former Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Greg Mullins said Australians were in a “new age of unprecedented bushfire danger”.
“We’d like to see Labor, the Coalition Government, Greens and the crossbenchers all come together and declare a climate emergency,” he said.
Dr Webster said it was human nature to want to force blame in these circumstances.
“The issue is that we all want something to blame, to resolve something – that is human nature, we want an instant cure,” she said.
“I’m not saying that addressing climate change will not get results, we are addressing climate change.
“But that fact is we have bushfires, droughts, and none of us want those to continue but they have happened always, it’s just how often they are happening.”
Former Greens candidate for Mildura Cathryn Milne, who ran for the state seat in 2018, said regardless of which term is used, our changing climate should be discussed.
“It is the denial of climate change by leaders that is highly inappropriate when people are facing lack of water and catastrophic bushfires,” Ms Milne said.
“If not now, then when?”
Dr Webster said it was important to take the politics out of the climate change discussion.
“I can understand people wanting solutions now, and I think it goes back to my point that people don’t want this to be a political issue,” she said.
“I think we need to move forward and bring some comfort to our communities and some practical solutions and hope.”
