As we move towards summer and temperatures start to rise, so does my anger at seeing our state and federal governments and Hastings Port Macquarie-Hastings Council delay an emergency response to the climate crisis.
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As a mother I am appalled to see our prime minister dismiss the valid and scientifically informed concerns of our children and young people about the climate emergency as 'needless anxieties'.
When did it become acceptable for our politicians to gaslight our children?
As a GP I am concerned about the impact of extreme heat events and heat waves on vulnerable elderly residents, children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers; the effect of more frequent bushfires on those with asthma and lung disease; water shortages, malnutrition and infectious diseases that will become increasingly widespread as global heating continues.
Given the risk we face from further warming, taking steps now to safeguard our town is essential to mitigate the expected costs, both human and economic.
It's time for our federal government to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and mobilise the resources necessary for a rapid transition to renewable energy, a carbon neutral transport sector, and to support our farmers to implement agricultural strategies to draw down carbon into the soil.It's time for our state and local governments to halt land clearing, act proactively to address water security and make a comprehensive plan to manage the impact on our community.
The science is clear, we are facing a climate emergency. It's time to start acting like it.
Sarah Mollard
Port Macquarie