Climate

1. Safeguard our Communities

We cannot insure our way out of climate risk.

Australia continues to face a growing number of extreme weather events. There have been bushfires which have devastated homes and habitats, floods that have displaced thousands, coastal erosion threatening infrastructure, and intense heatwaves affecting health and livelihoods.

Local councils are on the front line of this crisis and are carrying an increasing share of the burden, often without the resources or long-term planning frameworks they need.

We must do more to protect our communities. We need national leadership to better support communities to prepare, adapt and build resilience.

Zali's Record

  • Brought together industry, government and civil society to discuss impacts of climate change on insurance.
  • Launched the National Adaptation Framework Bill into parliament.
  • Served on the Standing Committee on Environment and Energy from 2019 to 2022, including issuing a dissenting report on the Inquiry into Lifting Australia’s Ban on Nuclear.

Zali’s Commitment to You

  • Climate Resilience Plan: A sustainable plan to keep our communities safe from a changing climate.
  • National Climate Adaptation Framework: Legislative plan to back-in the National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan.
  • Mandatory Climate Risk Disclosure: Mandate climate risk disclosure in Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) assessments.

Parliamentary Action

  • The cost of climate change on our insurance – Zali speaks about her roundtable on the rising cost of climate change on our households, especially their insurance bills (August 2024). (Watch here)

Media coverage

 

2. Strong Climate Leadership and Governance

Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. Zali remains committed to science-based, urgent climate action to safeguard a sustainable future for Australia.

Zali's Record

Local Engagement

Zali’s Commitment to You

  • Sustainability Commitment: Commit Australia to at least 75% emissions reduction by 2035.
  • Stronger environmental protections: Full implementation of the Samuel Review to update the EPBC Act.
  • Less Plastic: Commit to implementing the Drowning in Waste report recommendations.

Parliamentary Action

  • Environmental protections – Zali asks if we can trust Labor to continue to protect the environment (Watch here)
  • Waste and plastics - Zali speaks on Drowning in Waste report (Watch here)
  • Proposed Amendment to the Nature Positive Laws – Zali moves amendments to the Nature Positive Bill to introduce clarity that the object and duties of the proposed Environmental Protection Agency is to enhance the protection of the environment (Watch here)
  • 75% reduction of emissions by 2035 - Zali asks the government when it will properly mitigate climate risk with a strong 2035 target (Watch here)
  • Methane measurement - Zali speaks about climate risk and methane measurement, monitoring and reporting (Watch here)
  • Urgent climate action - Zali urges the government to take climate action in response to gas project approvals (Watch here)
  • EPBC Reform - Crossbench urges the Government that reforms to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act are to be completed this parliamentary term (April 2024) (Watch here)
  • Condemns the Beetaloo Gas Project – Zali highlights that the Beetaloo Gas Project is a proven emissions and climate bomb (Feb 2024) (Watch Here)
  • Impact of natural disasters on young people – Zali highlights the importance of recognising young people’s role in building climate resilience (Watch Here)
  • Global boiling concerns – The crossbench calls on government to respond to escalating climate threat - (Watch Here)
  • Household electrification – Zali urges the government for stronger action on household electrification (June 2023) (Watch Here)
  • First Nations Communities & Net Zero – Government adopted Zali’s amendment to Future Made in Australia, so that First Nations communities can participate in and share the benefits of the net zero transition
  • You can find the full list of speeches here: Parliamentary Updates

Media Coverage