Media Releases

In a crucial moment where Australia should be leading the way on reducing emissions ahead of the Earth Summit, Zali Steggall MP says the Australian government’s new appointments to the Climate Change Authority are both ‘disappointing and a backwards step’.

“At a time where our trading partners are being future focussed, the Morrison Government is stuck in the past, focussed on old technology and refusing to listen to the science and independent expert advice,” Ms Steggall said.

“These new appointments are completely at odds with the Authority’s purpose to give independent advice on climate, science and policy to the Government.

“Despite the Prime Minister publicly saying that he would like to reach net zero ‘as soon as possible, preferably by 2050’, both the Climate Change Authority and the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources have confirmed to the inquiry into the Climate Change Bills that neither of them have been briefed by the government to model and plan achieving net zero by 2050.

“The Morrison Government continues to only listen to vested interests in fossil fuels. We need a truly independent expert Climate Change Commission, as the UK has had since 2008, to advise the Government if we want a chance at achieving net zero by 2050. The Climate Change Authority, as it is currently is now constituted, is not it.

“With COVID-19, the Government continues to listen to the science, but with climate change, it continues to put its head in the sand.”

Ms Steggall introduced the Climate Change Bills to Parliament that is currently in inquiry stage. For more information go to www.climateactnow.com.au