Why Barnaby Joyce and Andrew Forrest have got it wrong on the drought

With Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s National Drought Summit on today,   state and federal political leaders will be pressured to "drought-proof" Australia. We have seen it all before –ideas from the bottom drawer of past policies, reflecting Australia’s obsession to tame nature, rather than live with our reality.

A drought-affected property near Balranald in south west NSW.CREDIT:

Pointless, destructive and outdated ideas are swirling again as they always do in droughts, including those by Australia’s new Drought Envoy Barnaby Joyce, Deputy NSW Premier John Barilaro and wealthy businessman Andrew Forrest – fixing "the problem" with more dams, funded by the sale of Snowy Hydro in NSW, selling environmental water and grazing livestock in national parks.

Read the story from The Sydney Morning Herald by Richard Kingsford - “Why Barnaby Joyce and Andrew Forrest have got it wrong on the drought.”

Making hotter and drier healthier, safer, and more vibrant for living and working

Victoria is becoming hotter and drier due to climate change. Even with ambitious global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, changes to Victoria’s climate will continue to occur. We must adapt to these unavoidable changes to ensure that our economy, community and environment continue to thrive.

About Victoria’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan (2017-2020)

The second Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Plan will build on the first Adaptation Plan(External link), which is currently in effect, and on the vast amount of adaptation action already taking place throughout the State.

This includes action by coastal communities to develop regional plans, by businesses developing technology that can be applied in a climate-changed future, and by local governments to develop urban forest strategies and climate-proof local infrastructure (for example, Victorian Climate Change Grants(External link)).

The second Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Plan will outline the Victorian Government’s vision for a climate-ready Victoria.

With this Plan we will put in place durable processes and take action to prepare all Victorian communities to meet the challenges and act on the opportunities of climate change.

We want to ensure that Victoria remains a healthy, prosperous, safe and vibrant place to work and live long into the future.

Check out how you can comment - “Victoria's Climate Change Adaptation Plan.”