A screening of Australian documentary Climate Changers in NSW Parliament this week kicked off a panel discussion aimed at encouraging the government to take more urgent climate action or risk missing its net zero target by 2050.
The panel addressed an audience of cross-party parliamentary representatives and was led by Professor Tim Flannery, who is the focus of the documentary which tracks his search for climate leadership.
“When I look at this Parliament, we’ve set a relatively weak target of 50 per cent and we’re set to fail it,” said Professor Tim Flannery, referring to NSW’s goal of halving 2005 emissions by 2030 in the Climate Change Act. “What does that say for our political leaders in this house to sit here today knowing that is where we’re heading? Every citizen of NSW will live with the consequences of that poor decision-making.”
The panel, moderated by Greens MP for Climate Change, Sue Higginson, also included Indigenous climate change ambassador for the Kingdom of Tonga, Uili Lousi; Dharawal and Yuin Custodian, community leader and consultant Paul Knight; Australian-Fijian international human rights lawyer and leading expert on feminist climate justice, Kavita Naidu; and 25-year-old law student and Rising Tide grassroots organiser, Zack Schofield.
“There is a solution for all of us, but the solution is not from the Kingdom of Tonga only,” Uili Lousi said. “We are relying heavily on you, Parliamentarians here in Australia. My message is how important it is for our Pacific leaders and everybody to come together for the resilience of what is needed for the next generations.”
The World Environment Day event was hosted by Documentary Australia and the Climate Council, with support from Labor, Liberal and Greens party representatives. It also marked Climate Changers’ first screening in a parliamentary setting around Australia, coinciding with the documentary’s Australian broadcast premiere on SBS and SBS Viceland.
Guests were presented with a copy of the Climate Council’s landmark Seize the Decade report, which provides a practical blueprint for Australia to cut climate pollution by 75 per cent by 2030, including a policy gallery for decision makers across all levels of government.
The impact campaign is led by Stephanie King of Documentary Australia, with Andrea Foxworthy, Anna Jane Linke and Jane Hammond. Climate Changers is presented by Antidote Films and Documentary Australia’s Environmental Accelerator program, with support from Intrepid Travel and with the Climate Council as a key impact partner.