Wednesday 9 February 2011

How many people have to have their homes destroyed before our leaders accept that climate change is here and now


Flood and Storm Update for NSW In the past four weeks the SES has received over 10, 300 calls for assistance on its assistance line (NSW State Emergency Services February 5, 2011)

Moment of truth as 64 homes lost in fire in West Australia (The Australian February 8, 2011)

Cyclone Yasi destroyed 150 homes and left at least 650 uninhabitable in northern Queensland (ABC Online February 8, 2011)

Queensland floods 5,900 homes damaged by floods in the past month (The Age February 7, 2011)

Floods force evacuations in southern NSW (ABC Online February 7, 2011)

Dozens of Victorian homes inundated by flood waters (News.com.au February 6, 2011)

In the face of dozens of headlines such as these over the last two months and the personal accounts of friends and family, I was amazed to hear the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Anthony Albanese attempt to deny any direct link between the multiple floods, bushfires and cyclones this country has experienced since the beginning of December 2010 and climate change.

How many homes and family businesses have to be damaged or destroyed before our politicians finally realise there is no more time left to play politics with this immense problem?


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