The Climate Change Act Review has been mired in delays, which could be extended further if the Minister for the Environment doesn’t release the review report to the public when Parliament returns. In a climate emergency, more urgent action is needed to reform Tasmania’s outdated, ineffective climate law.
The final outcomes and recommendations report from the Climate Act Review were meant to be handed to the Minister in July last year, but the timeline was revised to late in 2025.
The Climate Change Act requires statutory review reports to be tabled in Parliament within ten sitting days after it’s given to the Minister, meaning it could be April before the public has access to this document. That’s assuming the review is still meeting its already extended timelines.
We’re in a climate emergency, which requires the Liberal Government to act with urgency. Minister Ogilvie must show she’s serious about acting on climate change, release the review report to the public by tabling it when Parliament returns, and get on with making the changes needed to strengthen the Climate Change Act.
We have to bring down emissions, protect and grow our carbon stores, and have effective adaptation planning to keep Tasmanians safe.
The Liberals and Labor both need to heed the scientific reality and commit to more ambitious action. Emissions are not coming down. Business as usual is the default position of both major parties. They rely instead on the state’s net-zero status as a result of avoided logging and burning under the Tasmanian Forest Agreement.
Tasmania still doesn’t have legislated emissions reductions targets, an independent climate authority or even a true adaptation plan. All these issues could be fixed with a proactive, collaborative approach across the Parliament and with our communities to beef up Tasmania’s Climate Change Act.
Climate change is already having dire impacts for Tasmanians. We’ve seen heatwaves again this summer, and a challenging fire season where homes have been lost at Dolphin Sands and Stieglitz.
Minister Ogilvie has a moral responsibility to current and future generations to lead action now for a climate safe future for Lutruwita/Tasmania.
