Former Liberal Leader Dr John Hewson has called on the Australian Government to have a conscience vote on the declaration of a climate emergency, so that councillors who vote against it will be remembered unfavourably in the history books.
“Climate was an emergency some thirty years ago,” Dr Hewson said.
“If this had been recognised at the time, we would already be well past the Paris targets and enjoying many thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of investment, with much lower electricity and gas prices.
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“Moreover, we would be a world leader in the inevitable transition to a low carbon society, rather than an embarrassing laggard.
“MPs and Senators should have a conscience vote on the emergency declaration so that individual members of Parliament can be held personally accountable by their constituents, their children and their grandchildren, indeed by all future generations, for the stance they took on the greatest economic, social, political and moral challenge of this century.”
The sentiment has been backed by The Greens and crossbench, who have called on the Parliament to declare a climate emergency.
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