National Chair of Doctors for the Environment, John Van Der Kallen said climate change is now a deciding issue for Australian voters from all sides of politics.
“I think we see this in the results last night,” Dr Van Der Kallen said.
Doctors have been extremely concerned about the health of all Australians in a hotter and potentially wetter nation, especially since the fires of 2019/2020 and the floods this year in Queensland and New South Wales.
“Climate change is the greatest threat to health this century and we are already seeing the health impacts of this firsthand on the front line in GPs’ rooms and in hospital emergency departments,” he said.
“We welcome the incoming government’s commitment to increased emissions cuts this decade which will reduce the health impacts for all Australian’s and the health of our nation.
“The science tells us that we need even greater cuts this decade to keep our climate safe, and we hope that the new government will be ambitious, as this is clearly the message from the Australian people.
“There was definitely a political moment in a shift from what happened in the 2019 election, and two major events defined this change – floods in Qld and NSW and the bushfires in the summer of 2020.
“In terms of mental health, we are still seeing the fallout from these two events from people living in those communities. Moves towards carbon neutral industries will future proof our energy needs and ensure the health of all Australians as we move forward.”
