Farmers call for politicians to join the dots between drought and climate change

Hundreds of farmers descended on Canberra for the first sitting day of the Morrison Government to call for politicians to #BreakTheDrought on climate action.

A truck convoy, with farm dogs aboard, wound its way around Parliament House multiple times during the rally.

Farmers for Climate Action Deputy Chair and Crookwell sheep farmer, Charlie Prell, said the drought must be a wake-up call for politicians to take climate change seriously.

“Our country is locked in drought yet elected leaders are still fiddling and pretending climate change isn’t happening,” Mr Prell said. “We don’t need to pray for rain, we need to take serious climate action, now.

“We urgently need bi-partisan support for a plan for climate change and agriculture to equip farmers to deal with increased droughts, heat, frosts and flooding.”

Farmers for Climate Action CEO Verity Morgan-Schmidt said there was a growing movement of famers pushing for climate leadership.

“Rural Australia is on the front lines of climate change, and while our politicians have dithered for a decade, we have dealt with the harsh realities of inaction,” Ms Morgan Schmidt said.

“This issue is bigger than party politics and we need politicians of conviction to show leadership. It’s time for us to stand up and say enough is enough. We demand leadership from our Government.

“Failing to grapple with the reality of climate change now means our farmers and the entire agricultural sector are at risk of an uncertain future.”

Farmers for Climate Action is a movement of farmers, agricultural leaders and people from across Australia working to ensure farmers are a key part of the solution to climate change.