Climate Change

Pocock argued that the government was ignoring scientific warnings about climate tipping points by continuing to approve large-scale fossil fuel projects. Pocock criticised the administration for hiding the Office of National Intelligence's climate and security risk assessment, suggesting it contained dire predictions for the region. Pocock called for a serious transition to renewables that would improve community resilience and reduce energy prices, rather than expanding the coal and gas industry.

Ananda-Rajah acknowledged the severity of the Nepal disaster but defended the government's climate action, citing the legislation of the Climate Change Act and progress towards net zero. Ananda-Rajah highlighted increases in renewable energy from 33 per cent to 51 per cent and a significant drop in gas usage. Ananda-Rajah pointed to the surge in electric vehicle sales and investments in low-carbon fuels as evidence of effective industrial and climate policy, contrasting this with the opposition's lack of commitment to net zero targets.

McKim described the Nepal tragedy as a direct consequence of fossil fuel-driven climate change, accusing the government of approving projects that exacerbate the crisis. McKim rejected the notion that discussing climate policy during a disaster was inappropriate, arguing that the decisions to approve mines were inherently political. McKim criticised the hypocrisy of claiming climate leadership while facilitating new fossil fuel developments and warned against silencing discussions about the causes of such disasters.

Payman detailed the death toll and missing persons from the Nepal glacier collapse, linking it directly to the government's approval of the 37th coal and gas project. Payman specifically cited the Saraji mine expansion, noting its significant greenhouse gas emissions and long operational timeline. Payman argued that approving such projects undermined Australia's claims of caring about climate justice and the Pacific, calling for pragmatic policies like windfall taxes and manufacturing reinvigoration instead.

Hodgins-May expressed personal grief regarding disasters and emphasised the need for honesty about the causes of climate-related catastrophes. Hodgins-May argued that Nepal contributed minimally to global emissions yet suffered severe consequences, while Australia continued to approve fossil fuel projects. Hodgins-May criticised the contradiction between the Prime Minister's climate rhetoric and the government's actions, stating that condolences were insufficient without stopping the approval of new coal and gas developments.