CORONAVIRUS —
CLIMATE CHANGE
1131. Hon
DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the Treasurer:
I note the mention of risks on page
18 of budget paper No 3 and the considered risks of a COVID-19 second wave, the
stimulus supports ceasing or demand not being strong enough to drive growth,
the uncertainty of a COVID-19 vaccine, and the possibility of China's
increased construction activity leading to an eventual weakening of its
financial system.
(1) As the Labor
government has previously admitted its acknowledgement of peer-reviewed science
proving beyond doubt that the atmosphere of the planet has changed and will
continue to change due to the impacts of human habitation, does the Treasurer
understand that this will pose risks for the state, the budget and the economy?
(2) Does the Treasurer intend to acknowledge the
likely costs of these risks to our health budgets, infrastructure
budgets and other department budgets associated with these risks within the
2021–22 budget?
(3) Does the
Treasurer recognise that these risks will become more likely and incur greater
costs until the factors causing climate change are reversed?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes.
(2) Work has
commenced on a public sector approach to assessing and reporting climate change
risk, and understanding its impact on agency costs. However, it is unlikely
that this work will be completed in time for the 2021–22 budget.
(3) Yes.