QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:43): Thank you to Senator Payman for that question. It is true that climate change and the impact of climate change is particularly bad for our region and for Australia, and it does have and will have a disproportionate effect in our region. Beyond the impacts on Australia, where our climate is more vulnerable and our agriculture is more vulnerable, it will have impacts throughout the broader region, beyond the Pacific, that particularly are felt by lower income households and by families, and, as you pointed out in your question, inevitably that means a disproportionate effect on women in the region.

Particularly for Australia, that impact in the Pacific, in those countries that are our neighbours, and in our region, not only is inextricably linked with welfare, social equity and environmental concerns but also goes fundamentally to our security and the security of our region. I think that point has been misunderstood—or wilfully misunderstood—by the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation, who refuse to grapple with the challenge this presents not just for Australia but for our security and the security of the peoples of our region.

The PRESIDENT: Senator Payman, first supplementary.