We Can’t Have Our Cake and Eat It Too

Some in the new Labor Government, and the Coalition previously have claimed that Australia can reduce its emissions, while simultaneously approving new coal and gas mines. Sounds good in theory, but in practice fossil fuel extraction and processing is one of the biggest sources of emissions in Australia, even before the coal or gas is burned.

It is indisputable that fossil fuels, produced and consumed anywhere on the globe, are gravely endangering the environment on which we all depend for our food, fresh water, oxygen, physical and mental health. And we know that alternative clean industries present Australia with enormous job and investment opportunities (if Australia remains globally competitive in clean energy industries). So why are we on track to open new projects?

The International Energy Agency (whose membership comprises major fossil fuel producing countries including Australia) determined that, to avoid that catastrophic outcome, the cutoff for approvals of new fossil fuel projects was 2021. Delaying this date any later will have increasingly costly consequences and will undermine our ability to provide a duty of care to all Australians.

Yet Prime Minister Albanese has claimed – without providing evidence – that if Australia took that momentous, desperately needed step, it would “devastate” our economy. 

Is the PM correct? In a word, no.

Image Credit: Daniel Norris on Unsplash

Last week we talked about what is in the government’s Climate Change Bill. Which was to say, not much, really. In this post we look more broadly at what sort of climate legislation Australian Parents for Climate Action would like to see, based on what we proposed in our submission to the Senate Inquiry.

Image Credit: Tingey Injury Law firm via Unsplash

Welcome to the Australian Parents for Climate Action policy blog. In coming posts you’ll hear from members of our volunteer Policy & Submissions team as they do their best to untangle the complex issue of what good climate policy should look like. We’re not “policy wonks”, so we won’t always be right, but we’d value your perspectives by commenting on our posts. And if you like them, please share them!

What better place to start a policy blog than by looking at the first piece of meaningful climate legislation to pass the House of Representatives in a decade: the Climate Change Bill 2022.

As a parent led advocacy group we represent a diverse range of parents and families across Australia. One of the key actions we undertake is engaging and meeting with MP’s to discuss our vision for a safe climate for our kids.  Understanding the makeup of our Parliament and identifying areas of common ground with MPs is key to our success in developing effective relationships and influencing policy on climate action. Now that the results of the 2022 Federal Election are in, we thought we’d have a look at the composition of the 47th Parliament.

As an organisation founded by a group of mothers, it is pleasing for Australian Parents for Climate Action to see an increase in women being represented in Canberra. Overall (House of Representatives and Senate), female representation has increased from 38% to 44%. The first Albanese Cabinet features 10 women out of 23 (about the same proportion as are in parliament overall).

In the House of Representatives, women now account for 38% of MPs, up from 31%. In the Senate, female representation has increased from 53% to 57%.

On a party basis, however, there are stark differences. In the last parliament, the Coalition had 26% female representation. Following the May 2022 election this has only increased to 28%. In the male dominated House of Representatives, the Coalition’s share of women declined slightly from 20% to just 19% (11 female MPs). On the other hand, Labor’s (ALP) share of female MP’s increased from 43% to 47% (36 MPs), part of an overall increase in female representation from 49% to 52%. 

The Greens maintained their female representation in the Senate at two thirds of their 12 seats. Of their four seats in the lower house, however, only one is held by a woman. Overall, the Greens are leading the way with 56% of their elected federal members being women.