2020-03-02
Greens Leader Adam Bandt will introduce a Bill into the House of Representatives this morning, seconded by the Member for Waringah Zali Steggall OAM, to formally declare a climate emergency, require every government department to be guided by the declaration and mandate the establishment of a ‘war cabinet’ to tackle the crisis.
Mr Bandt announced the Bill to a crowd over 2000 when opening the recent National Climate Emergency Summit.
Comment by Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:
“We are in a climate emergency. It’s time for Parliament to recognise the crisis and take urgent action.
“This Bill reflects the scale of the crisis we face and represents the scale of action that is needed.
“Winston Churchill was a flawed man and flawed Prime Minister, but in his greatest hours he reached across the aisle during WWII and formed a grand coalition, with the Labour party and others. That is what I am asking of Scott Morrison today.
“The Prime Minister must be a climate Churchill, not a climate Chamberlain.
“In October, I moved a motion for Parliament to declare a climate emergency and we fell just four votes short. We’ve just had a summer of complete climate devastation and it’s time for the Parliament to recognise the situation we face, join me in declaring a climate emergency and establish a ‘war-cabinet’ to take urgent action.
“It’s time for members of the Liberal Party, especially those that have called for climate action, to vote with their conscience and back this Bill.”