Australia is in the midst of an unprecedented heatwave and bushfire emergency, but the Prime Minister has been missing in action. Scott Morrison must show some leadership and immediately convene emergency meetings with fire chiefs, peak medical bodies and cross-party political leadership to craft a response to this crisis, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.
“The country is in crisis and the Australian people are crying out for leadership, but Scott Morrison has been missing in action,” said Di Natale.
“We are seeing the climate crisis play out right now across Australia, and it is only going to get worse. That’s why we need the Prime Minister to lead an emergency response that is above politics, that brings the community together and not only responds to these fires but prepares for the fires that are yet to come.
“The decision today by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to declare a State of Emergency in New South Wales highlights just how serious this situation is not just in New South Wales but across the country, and how missing leadership has been at the national level.
“That’s why the Greens are calling on the Prime Minister to immediately :
- Commit to convening an emergency Summit with the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action to discuss improving how we prepare for and resource bushfire emergencies in a changed climate.
- Meet with the Presidents of medical colleges who have called the current crisis a public health emergency to discuss critical responses to protect human health.
- Take a page out of John Howard’s response to the Port Arthur tragedy, convene an urgent cross party forum with the leaders of our main political parties to find a way forward on our paralysed and wholly insufficient climate policy.
