Hot times ahead for Australia

Peter Jean

July 07, 2008 12:00am

AUSTRALIANS have been warned to prepare for more extreme heatwaves and a doubling of the number and the size of droughts.

A report by the CSIRO and the weather bureau, released yesterday, predicted three-quarters of Victoria and Tasmania would face exceptionally hot years every 1.3 years for the next three decades.

Over the same period, 10 per cent of Victoria and Tasmania would face exceptionally low rainfall about every 12 years.

Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said droughts in Australia would become more severe and cover twice as many areas as they had in the past.

"While this is a scientific report, parts of these high-level projections read more like a disaster novel than a scientific report," Mr Burke said.

"What's clear is the cycle of drought is going to be more regular and deeper than ever."

The damage caused to agricultural production by hot and dry weather is expected to keep food prices rising.

Mr Burke said the report would be used as part of reviews into drought policy and exceptional circumstances support for farmers.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described the report as very disturbing.

Mr Rudd vowed to fight climate change by pushing ahead with the introduction of carbon emissions trading by 2010.

"If we don't act by the quarter-century point and the mid-century point both as a nation and as a globe, then frankly we start to run the risk of getting to environmental no-return," he said.

Mr Rudd promised "adjustment support" for families and businesses affected by higher food, petrol and electricity costs and emissions trading.

He said it was still unclear how high the carbon price would be in a trading scheme.

The Government's climate change adviser, Ross Garnaut, said he hoped the Opposition would back an ETS.

"The chance of Australia getting it right, getting it right through the period of this Government, and getting it right through the period of the next government and the one after that are much better if we end up having bipartisan support," Prof Garnaut told the Nine Network's Sunday program.

But Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said Prof Garnaut should stay out of the political debate on an ETS.

"He says he's an economist he's not an expert climatologist, he's not a politician, well then I agree he should stick to the economics of it all."

Ms Bishop said the Opposition supported emissions trading but did not want to see an increase in petrol prices.

Original Source: The Herald-Sun