15th Oct 2019, 5:12 PM – Representatives Motions - Climate Change - Suspend the usual rules

The majority voted against a motion introduced by MP for Melbourne Adam Bandt (Greens), which means it failed. The purpose of this motion was to suspend the usual parliamentary rules (known as standing orders) so that another question could be put to the House.

Motion text

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Melbourne from moving the following motion immediately—

That the House:

(1) declares an environment and climate emergency;

(2) recognises that:

(a) the recent report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5 °C, indicates that we are facing a climate emergency, and as a result, meaningful action on climate change is urgent, at home and internationally;

(b) this IPCC report has found that the world is not on track to limit global warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius;

(c) at a national level, England, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Canada have all declared a climate emergency; and

(d) unmitigated climate change will lead to a steep increase in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events that will devastate large parts of Australia and radically impact food production, water availability, public health, infrastructure, the community and the financial system; and

(3) notes that the Government has acknowledged urgent action is required to address climate change and calls on the Government to take urgent action consistent with avoiding catastrophic climate change, the goals of the Paris Agreement and internationally accepted science.