Time to Stop Risking WA’s Unique Environment

Monday, 5 September 2011

Perhaps more than any other part of the country, Western Australia needs a clean energy future.

That’s because, despite our carbon intensive economy, our fragile environment needs our protection.

There is a threat that would negatively impact on our way of life, tourism, agriculture and other economic opportunities.

That threat is climate change.

A new report released by the Climate Commission tells us that Western Australia, and particularly the South West, is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change.

Rainfall in the South West has reduced by 15% over the past 40 years.

Even in what seems like a wet winter our thirsty land has soaked up all the rain that has fallen.

So yet another year is passing with very little run off to our dams.

And rising sea levels will put many of our coastal communities directly in the path of climate change.

Science also tells us that climate change will lead to the loss of many native animals and plants, while larger changes could sound the death knell for our World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef.

Only days ago, we celebrated as the Government added more than 19 million hectares of land in the stunning west Kimberley to the National Heritage List.

Recently, the WA Treasury released modelling that was, in part, critical of the Gillard Government’s Clean Energy Future Package.

But as the Minister for Finance, Senator Wong and I argued in the Senate, the dramatic increase in energy costs in Western Australia over the last few years have been as a result of policies of the Barnett Government, not the proposed carbon price plan.

I ask, are we prepared to sacrifice our unique West Aussie environment after we’ve worked so hard to protect it?

I don’t think so.

That’s why we have to act now for a clean energy future.

Best wishes

Louise Pratt