Environmental groups say climate inaction is driving up hospital costs and worsening inequality in Canberra, and urge the ACT Government to fund long-term climate adaptation.
ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury MLA said: “The ACT Parliament’s fiscal sustainability review must consider the cost of the climate crisis — its impact on the health and wellbeing of the community and how, if not addressed, this will continue to blow out the ACT Budget.
“We must consider the health costs of climate inaction. If we don’t, many more Canberrans will be harmed from the impacts of extreme weather events, and we risk a situation where there’s no resources to deliver support and services when they are most needed.”
Last year, Mr Rattenbury noted, the ACT Labor Government overspent $387 million on the hospital and its budget deficit totalled around $1.5 billion – $500 million more than forecast.
“Our hospital bill will continue to rise unless the government starts to deliver preventative initiatives,” Mr Rattenbury said.
Last week, an ANU report found that one in 15 visits (almost 7 per cent) to the hospital emergency department were due to extreme heat or cold — and could have been prevented through climate mitigation and preparation measures.
“Canberrans living below the poverty line are at greatest risk of extreme weather events, like bushfires and heatwaves,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“There are many Canberrans who are sweltering in poorly insulated homes, and that number skyrockets for renters and public housing tenants. Many public housing tenants are already living with chronic health conditions or disabilities so are at a greater risk of harm.
“Coupled with one of the lowest GP bulk-billing rates in the country, many households struggling to pay bills or put food on the table cannot afford to see the doctor. Instead, people become so unwell they need to be hospitalised and take much longer to recover.
“The climate crisis fuels inequality, but it doesn’t have to be this way – it just needs ambition and action. But under Labor, we’ve seen climate action stalled and the health response focused on the emergency department, rather than helping people before they become that unwell.”
In Mr Rattenbury’s view, the inquiry must consider improving heating and cooling in buildings, more public places to shelter from extreme weather events, and more bulk-billed GP appointments — initiatives the Greens believe will improve life for many Canberrans and ease pressure on emergency and crisis services.
“Inaction is inhumane, and it’s costly,” Mr Rattenbury said. “We need initiatives that help all Canberrans prepare and become more resilient in the face of climate-driven weather extremes.”
The Conservation Council ACT Region said the recent heatwave and smoke from Victorian bushfires showed the urgency of the problem.
“Any and every delay on climate action will not just impact the health of the Canberra community, but the ACT Budget as well,” executive director Dr Simon Copland said. “Canberrans are feeling climate impacts here and now — just this past weekend we had a significant heatwave, and our city was covered in smoke from bushfires in Victoria.
“Yet the Government is still underfunding climate adaptation, leaving many people at risk to health and other impacts. This will be increasing visits to hospitals, reducing productivity, and discouraging people from participating in everyday city life.
“Taking action on climate change now will reduce costs in the future, but instead the ACT Government remains too focused on short-term political goals and not on the long-term sustainability of our budget and city. More needs to be done. The best first start is the Government committing to a bold climate strategy for the next five years.”
The ACT Government was asked for comment last week.
