They too deserve to live with the same environmental quality of life and freedoms that we enjoy today but regrettably time is limited. We need immediate action. Historically, the climate change debate has been hijacked by those who reject the overwhelming body of scientific evidence and make it an issue of values or of philosophical belief. Malcolm Turnbull recently said on Q and A, "saying you believe or disbelief in climate change is like saying you believe or disbelief in gravity."

I am part of the last generation who can stop devastating climate change. We need to part ways with frustrated ideology and listen to science so that we can be our very best in the years to come. At the start of 2020, over 12 million hectares of Australian bushland (including residential areas) was destroyed by fire and it is estimated that over 1.2 billion animals lost their lives. These bushfires and continuing loss of biodiversity, coupled with devastating droughts, drive home the urgency of the moment.

We are now in the latter half of 2020 and an overwhelming majority of Australian's identify the environment and climate change as their number one concern and priority. This was demonstrated in the recent ACT and Queensland elections. Farmers want action on climate change, young people want action, older people want action and big business including the largest corporations in Australia want action.

Now is the time for the Goulburn Mulwaree Council to be proactive in promoting sustainable projects. We need to be environment leaders in reducing emissions and to work with the community to maintain and build upon biodiversity in our LGA. The time has come.

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Angus Taylor is reported in the Australian Pipeliner saying that "There is no point reducing Australian emissions if we're not also reducing emissions right across the globe". This is the same person who is the Minister for Emissions Reduction and our local representative in Parliament. It's a bit like saying we will only arrest drug dealers if every other country is successful in doing the same.

For context, Angus was speaking as a guest of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association at their "Gas Vision 2050" webinar. Mr Taylor went on to say, as reported, "and the key to that, particularly for developing countries that are very sensitive to the economics of emissions reduction, is to have technologies where the economics are strong. We can't ask people to give up prosperity in order to reduce emissions, and our belief is we don't need to."

As usual fossil fuels are the way forward according to Mr Taylor. But now even BHP is realising that coal has had its day, turning to mining minerals that support the battery industry as it ramps up production to power electric vehicles and renewables.

This is not a party political issue - there are luddites and entrepreneurs across the political spectrum. Angus Taylor is a luddite, as is Joel Fitzgibbon from the ALP. Matt Kean and Andrew Constance from the LNP are entrepreneurs, as is Mark Butler from the ALP. Matt Kean's state government is helping finance the community solar farm we are building.

If Angus Taylor really is concerned to support developing countries he should be promoting 21st century technologies, not still trying to export dirty fossil fuels. We can't wait any longer for some politicians, especially in the Federal Government, to stop promoting the very causes of global warming as a solution. Gas and coal are a disaster for the environment and expensive compared to renewables. Luddites like Mr Taylor are like dinosaurs. Unfortunately we will all become extinct if the luddites have their way.