Dear News Of The Area,
PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council’s decision to repeal its Climate Change Response Policy is deeply disappointing for many in our community.
The motion to remove the policy entirely was led by Councillor Hornshaw, who has publicly rejected human-caused climate change, opposed the Paris Agreement, and criticised renewable energy and Net Zero policies.
The motion was supported by the Mayor and councillors Maltman and Kirkman.
The policy itself was a science-based document intended to help our community prepare for and respond to the increasing risks associated with climate change.
Removing it places council out of step with both State and Federal policy directions and raises concerns about future resilience planning.
Many residents will now question whether council is taking climate risks seriously enough, particularly given the potential implications for insurance costs, disaster preparedness, litigation exposure, and access to future resilience funding.
At a time when communities across Australia are planning for climate impacts, this decision sends the wrong message.
Regards,
Stuart Watson,
Port Macquarie.
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