Media Releases

25 August 2025

Independent Federal MP for Warringah Zali Steggall will today introduce her Climate Change (National Framework for Adaptation) Bill 2025 – landmark legislation that prepares communities, households and Australia’s economy for the impacts of climate change. The Bill will also increase the transparency and frequency of climate risk reporting, and comes as the Albanese Government continues to delay the release of its one-off climate risk assessment.

“While the Albanese Government tries to hide the inconvenient truth that climate risks present some of the biggest dangers to Australia’s economy, my Bill would put climate resilience at the core of our economic debate,” said Zali Steggall MP.

This legislation proposes five-yearly independent national risks assessments and mandates the development of fully funded adaptation plans to tackle those risks and protect our economy and communities. The Bill provides a roadmap to prioritise areas for resilience investment. Ms Steggall says climate risks have been overlooked by the government despite extreme weather already costing the economy more than $38 billion a year, a figure expected to double by 2060.

“Australia’s approach to climate risks is piecemeal and left to the whims of whichever party is in power. While we wait for the government to release its ‘one-off’ National Climate Risk Assessment, this Bill ensures future climate risks assessments are independent of government and released in a timely and transparent manner. This provides communities, policymakers and industry with a planning roadmap.”

“Rising climate change impacts are already increasing costs, eroding productivity, damaging infrastructure, disrupting supply chains and driving up insurance costs. Already this year we’ve seen the economic and environmental impact disasters like Cyclone Alfred, record breaking floods in western Queensland and the algal bloom in South Australia have had on communities, infrastructure and business. How many more costly climate-fuelled disasters must we experience before the government prioritises resilience and adaptation? Imagine a growing military presence on our border but no increase in defence spending or preparedness.” said Ms Steggall. 

Zali Steggall MP’s National Framework for Adaptation Bill requires the Government to:

• Undertake independent National Climate Change Risks Assessments every five years
• Develop a National Adaptation Plan for addressing the risks identified, including outlining funding, timeframes, measures and resilience indicators
• Provide an annual progress report that evaluates the implementation of the adaptation plan and its effectiveness
• Additional elements include the release of a declassified version of the Office of National Intelligence report into the security threats caused by the climate crisis, incorporating the cost of climate risk into the Federal Budget and ensuring new Bills are compatible with climate change adaptation and resilience measures.

“Australia can’t afford to keep reacting after the damage is done. Currently only 13 per cent of Commonwealth disaster expenditure is focused on resilience building. Planning for the impacts of climate change and enhancing resilience is critical to protecting our economy and productivity, safeguarding assets and infrastructure, and keeping Australians safe. My Bill binds future governments to take climate risks seriously,” Ms Steggall said.

“As with any risk to public health and safety, the Australian people have a right to expect full transparency and confidence that it is being acted upon. So too must the risks posed by climate change be acted upon with transparency and urgency,” said Dr Sophie Scamps Member for Mackellar, who is seconding Zali Steggall MP’s National Framework for Adaptation Bill 2025.

A legislated National Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Plan has been recommended by the Climate Change Authority with a legislated independent monitoring and evaluation of adaptation policy recommended by the Productivity Commission. The proposal has been supported by the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Climate Council, Investor Group on Climate Change, Centre for Policy Development, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), National Insurance Brokers Association and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action.

For more information on the National Framework for Adaptation Bill, visit: www.zalisteggall.com.au/national_framework_for_adaptation

ENDS

Media contacts: Ben Hornbrook 0431 180 161 or Chris Williams 0480 386 879

Editor’s note 1:

The introduction of the National Framework for Adaptation Bill follows the release of Zali Steggall MP’s Re-energised Economy White Paper earlier this month. The White Paper outlines a range of reforms aimed at improving the resilience of Australia’s economy, including:

• Repurposing the $10 billion Fuel Tax Credits Scheme into a Climate Resilience Fund that funds high-risk local government areas’ adaptation and resilience projects
• A $30,000 climate resilience support program to help households and businesses invest in upgrades that reduce their climate-related risks and costs.

Zali Steggall MP’s Re-energised Economy White Paper is available at: www.zalisteggall.com.au/re-energised economy.

Editor’s note 2:

Sydney’s Northern Beaches, parts of which form Zali Steggall’s electorate of Warringah, are at significant risk with the NSW State Disaster Mitigation Plan[1] estimating that by 2060 the LGA will be the most impacted in NSW. The Plan estimates damage caused by extreme weather to the built environment in the Northern Beaches could come close to $1 billion dollars a year

Editor’s note 3:

National Framework for Adaptation

A National Framework for Adaptation would ensure that future governments regularly assess emerging climate risks and make informed, long-term plans to safeguard our communities against climate risk.

A National Framework for Adaptation would provide a comprehensive framework to assess and plan for the impacts of climate change. 

National Climate Change Risk Assessment

• An arms-length National Climate Change Risk Assessment that would be undertaken every 5 years.
• The Assessment must include Australia’s most significant climate risks, based on their nature, severity, probability and cost, and assess the need for coordinated responses to those risks.

National Adaptation Plan 

• In response to the National Climate Change Risk Assessment, the Minister must determine a National Adaptation Plan.
• The Plan must set out the strategies, policies and proposals to protect against and mitigate risks as identified in the national climate change risk assessment, including implementation time frames, measures and indicators for regular monitoring and reporting and the funding structure.
• For each national adaptation plan, the Authority must provide the Minister with an annual progress report that evaluates the implementation of the adaptation plan and its effectiveness.
• Within 3 months after receiving an annual progress report, the Minister must prepare a statement in response and present this to Parliament. 

Other elements

• A requirement to make available all reports about climate change, including declassified versions of top-secret documents. 
• Obligations to consider climate change and climate adaptation when making legislation.

Why this Bill matters

• Australia is already experiencing more frequent and severe extreme weather events, including bushfires, floods, cyclones and droughts. This impacts communities, businesses, and destroys biodiversity and our ecosystems.
• By including climate risks in government planning and decision-making, this Bill will help to build a strong Australia, where everyone – regardless of age, gender, race, ability – can feel safe and supported.
• If passed, the Climate Change (National Framework for Adaptation) Act 2024 will be binding on future governments to take the impacts of climate change seriously.  
• A legislated National Climate Change Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan has been called for by the Climate Change Authority. 

[1] https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/nsw-reconstruction-authority/our-work/disaster-adaptation-planning/state-disaster-mitigation-plan