I welcome the engagement of young Novocastrians in today’s online student strike for climate and share their frustration on the shameful lack of action from the Morrison Government.

We are just a couple of weeks out from the Glasgow climate summit, and eight long years into this Liberal Government, and yet there’s still no plan for Australia’s climate and energy future.

While the rest of the world is implementing concrete plans to get to net zero by 2050, the Morrison Government remains embroiled in their own internal party argument about even committing to it.

It is unconscionable that the Morrison Government still has members of its own party room who don’t believe in the science of climate change.

Scott Morrison is leaving Australia increasingly isolated on the world stage.

Global capital is moving rapidly towards renewable energy. We have a once in a generation opportunity to jump ahead of the pack and become a renewable energy superpower.

Already, 2,700 clean energy jobs have disappeared under Scott Morrison’s watch.

We are in a race with the rest of the world to seize new economic opportunities for the regions.

The climate crisis is Australia’s jobs opportunity with thousands of new jobs waiting to be untapped across Newcastle and our region.

Unlike the Morrison Government, Labor has strong plan to tackle climate change and put Australia on the map as a renewable energy superpower. An Albanese Labor Government will create jobs, cut power prices, and reduce emissions.

The onus is now on the Morrison Government to come up with an ambitious plan to achieve net zero by 2050 and circumnavigate a climate catastrophe.