2016-04-13
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — Australia has just experienced the hottest March in recorded history. I repeat that: the hottest March in recorded history. I do not know if there is any member who wants to jump up and suggest that the Bureau of Meteorology faked that data, but the anomaly was 1.7 degrees over the long-term recorded average. During that month, though, what action did our state government take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? As far as any of us know, nil. In fact it extended the life of a proposed coalmine permit near Bacchus Marsh that was due to expire. It did announce that it is extending water pipes to some communities in Victoria that are the victims of global warming, but in terms of that global warming itself, the actions the government took this month made it worse. It knows the actions it needs to take. It can make deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions with minimal disruption to the economy or to society. It knows the measures it needs to take, but instead it just keeps dithering and watching the problem get worse and worse.
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