Scott Morrison and his divided Coalition are putting Australia’s economy and security under increasing risk due to their inability to agree on addressing climate change and climate risk.

Former Australian military chiefs have joined the intensifying domestic and global calls on Mr Morrison for action on climate change and called on the Government to take seriously its threat to our national security.

The Biden Administration has elevated climate change to a national security issue – acknowledging climate affects the world economy and migration.

We hope Mr Morrison learns from past mistakes and listens to the experts. 

In 2019, we had the fire chiefs begging for action on Australia’s unpreparedness for worsening natural disasters due to climate change.

Mr Morrison’s response to the Black Summer that destroyed lives and livelihoods was, ‘I don’t hold a hose’.

Now former Defence chiefs and experts are urgently pointing to the need to assess and address climate security risk - but their calls are going unanswered.

Mr Morrison can’t even say ‘net zero by 2050’ without starting a civil war in his party room, which is why still hasn’t made that most basic commitment.

These security risks join the huge diplomatic and economic risks Australia is facing because of inaction:

• Sidelining from critical allies at a volatile time in global politics;
• Economic costs of carbon tariffs that will hurt Australian industry if they continue to be left behind;
• And the huge economic opportunities the regions are missing out on from a government that puts its head in the sand.

Deloitte has crunched the numbers:

• $3.4 trillion economic hit and 880,000 fewer jobs from unchecked climate change over coming decades;
• Or $680 billion dividend and 250,000 more jobs if we rise to the challenge.

Mr Morrison is so addicted to managing the political narrative in his party room that he’s willing to forgo these opportunities and continue risking our economy, security, and diplomatic ties rather than address climate change.

The globe’s climate emergency is Australia’s jobs opportunity.

And an Albanese Labor Government will address both.