Once again, a summer of extreme weather has placed Australia's health and emergency services under immense pressure.
In Western Australia, ambulance call-outs spiked during record breaking extreme heat. In Victoria, emergency services were left without power or working communications for up to 48 hours. Doctors in New South Wales have called for more accessible cool shelters for their vulnerable patients.
Experts have long warned that increased frequency and severity of climate disasters will put further pressure on essential health services. Our government must urgently address the need for a climate resilient health system, to protect the health of everyone living in Australia from the impacts of climate change.
In December 2023, the government announced the launch of Australia's first ever National Health and Climate Strategy.
The ambition of this Strategy is to safeguard the health of current and future generations in the face of climate change. In order for this to be possible, it is essential we proactively prepare our health systems to cope with the devastating impacts of the climate crisis.
CAHA Policy and Advocacy Manager Chelsea Hunnisett has said that all over Australia, people are experiencing the health impacts of climate change.
"The 2023/24 summer has been one of the angriest yet. WA has copped endless waves of extreme heat. Cyclones have hit Queensland, a deadly storm caused power outages and a death in Gippsland and bushfires have raged in Tasmania and Victoria.
"The health impacts of climate change are being felt today, and it's crucial that funding in the 2024/25 Commonwealth Budget is allocated to addressing this urgent need.
"Today we are calling on the Commonwealth Government to prioritise funding the Department of Health to execute the actions in the National Health and Climate Strategy in this year's Commonwealth budget as well as investing in preventive and population health infrastructure outside the health system that can prevent illness and save lives.
"The health of current and future generations depends on it."
