When I started writing these poems, (in the  Black Summer of 2019-20 and the big Eastern Australia floods of March 2020) the reality- and climate-denying Federal Coalition of Liberal and National parties were in government.

Before the May 2022 Federal election, Federal Labor was promising bold and effective action on climate change and a priority to fix the “broken” national environmental protection laws. 

Australians voted Labor back to government with a big mandate for action on climate change and the environment. We also voted in a record breaking number of Independents because they promised real action on climate change and other important public issues.

Since the 2022 election, Federal Labor has done a lot to address climate change. For example, they brought in the Climate Act 2022; committed to Net Zero national emissions by 2050 and a target emissions reduction of 42% by 2035 (which was not bad at the time); are doing a lot to shift Australia’s energy system towards renewables; and introduced New Vehicle Efficiency Standards.

On the other hand, Federal Labor’s positive climate actions have arguably been more than counteracted by this Government approving 32 new or expanded coal and gas projects, and  still providing billions in subsidies to fossil fuel companies annually.

Federal Labor was overwhelmingly elected again in May 2025 again with a climate action and cost of living mandate.

But it’s hard not to feel let down. How can we believe that Federal Labor is serious about climate action when in the space of one week in September 2025 it:

• finalised approval for Australia’s biggest new fossil fuel project in Woodside’s North West Shelf project; then
• released the long -awaited National Climate Risk Assessment, which warns us of worsening bushfires, floods, food insecurity, collapsing ecosystems, and skyrocketing disaster and insurance costs, for a start; then
• approved a 2035 emissions reduction target which will lock in more climate destruction, even though a greater target would provide more climate protection and more economic benefits.

If that isn’t bad enough, Labor’s recent revisions to the national Environment and Biodiversity laws (the EPBC Act) still doesn’t have a climate trigger and looks like would have enough deficiencies and loopholes to allow many developers and fossil fuel companies to have a clear go at continuing to destroying our fragile environment and adding to their dangerous emissions levels. Though there are some improvements I think that the new Act could be used allow more speedy environmental destruction.

The Federal National Party have just convinced their Liberal party partners to sell out Australians by dropping the Paris Agreement aligned target of Net Zero by 2050, thereby dooming their treasured constituents to more and more climate disasters.

I just wish there were more climate- and environment- defending politicians to vote for so we would keep our heads above water in this emerging climate change crisis.

Update December 2025