The people’s Climate Protection Bill, written and promoted around the Australia by over 65 Climate Action Groups representing approximately 6,000 Australians, had its first scent of victory today.

Tony Windsor, the Federal Member for New England, released a media statement today that outlines his plans to introduce a Private Member’s Bill based on the people’s Bill. Within the next month, Mr Windsor intends to launch his ‘Climate Change Bill’ to Parliament. Mr Windsor has made strong statements on the need to respond to climate change in the past. However, his engagement with concerned constituents and climate action groups who have endorsed the Bill over the last year regarding the need for a comprehensive piece of climate legislation, has led to this impressive announcement.

Mr Windsor said, ‘Australia and the world must not only acknowledge that our current practices of energy production and way of living has and still is having an adverse impact on our environment but also that unless we change our ways then the sustainability of our planet is at risk.However, people on the other side of the debate must also recognise that it’s not just a matter of flicking a switch and the world will be able to change its ways’.

The details of Mr Windsor’s Climate Change Bill are still confidential, but it seems that much of the Bill echoes the demands of the Climate Protection Bill. Of great importance in the lead up to the introduction of the Bill to Parliament is to ensure that Mr Windsor’s emission reduction targets are in line with the people’s Climate Protection Bill. This Bill demands 50% by 2020 and 100% by 2040, based on 1990 levels. To encourage Mr Windsor to propose these targets, you can contact Tony Windsor’s office on 02 6761 3080 or tony.windsor.MP@aph.gov.au