Australian Govt Urged to Climate Change

TORRES STRAIT URGES AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT – FUND CLIMATE CHANGE VICTIMS IN AUSTRALIA BEFORE OFFERING AID OVERSEAS

For immediate release Monday 7 December 2009

The Chairperson of the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA), John T Kris said today that the people of the Torres Strait were “bamboozled and disappointed” at the lack of response from the Australian Government to provide funding to mitigate the impact of climate change on the effected island communities in the Torres Strait.

“It is with some desperation that we are finally speaking out publicly in an attempt to raise awareness to the Australian government about the serious and devastating impact that Climate change is having on our region.  The impact goes across the board threatening our homes, our families and our culture.

“How can the Australian Government give hundreds of millions of dollars to our South Pacific neighbours to help them deal with this problem, when in their own backyard they won’t give us the funding we require to deal with this issue?

 “We have written to the Prime Minister three times since July 2009 requesting meetings to discuss the deadly impact climate change and tidal inundation is having on our communities and after 6 months of waiting we received a response this week stating that it is a threat and that the Minister for Climate Change and Water will be in touch in due course,” Mr Kris said.

Mr Kris said that while TSRA waited to hear back from Minister Wong’s Office they hoped sand bags were going to be enough to stem the anticipated flooding that occurs during the king tides in the wet season every January.

“The only solution to this problem is to put real dollars into it.  Given the generosity of the Australian Government to our affected South Pacific neighbours, it is not a big ask that the Torres Strait receives financial assistance to deal with this urgent, increasing and on-going problem.”

The House of Representatives Standing Committee Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts Report: Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate, released in October 2009 urged “early and urgent intervention” for affected Torres Strait communities.

“I am hoping that the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen this week will contribute to raising awareness of the impact of climate change on effected communities and that this in turn will result in real funding solutions for our region,” Mr Kris said. 

In an effort to deal with the emerging crisis TSRA has in the last 12 months

• Made several submissions to various senate inquiries into climate change and coastal erosion
  
• The Chairperson has raised the issue at UN permanent forum on indigenous affairs in New York May 2009
  
• TSRA Deputy Chairperson and Environment TSRA portfolio member have presented the issue at various conferences and summits
  
• TSRA coordinates the Torres Strait Coastal Management committee which includes representatives from the most affected communities, as well as Australian and State Government representation including the Department of Environment and Resource Management, Department of Communities, Department of Transport and Department of Infrastructure and Planning, and Emergency Management Queensland.
  
• Progressed work on coastal vulnerability including the identification of the requirements for immediate coastal works (with the help of the Department of Environment and Resource Management and JCU).
  

“All we are asking is that the Australian Government gives us the same level of support, respect, recognition and financial assistance that is being given to the South Pacific,” Mr Kris concluded.

Ends

For further information contact Rebecca Murphy
ph 0429 039 560 email rebecca.murphy@tsra.gov.au