Climate Change Policy

Order Description

WHAT SHOULD BE THE ROLE FOR EACH OF THE THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA IN HELPING QUEENSLAND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

Specifically:
1. What are the key climate change adaptation issues that need to be addressed in Queensland?
2. What powers* are granted to each level of government under the Australian Constitution and Queensland Local Government Act that could be used to address these issues?
3. What should be the role of the Commonwealth (national) government?
4. What should be the role of the Queensland state government?
5. What should be the role of the local governments in Queensland?
6. How could these three levels of government work together to develop and deliver more appropriate, effective and efficient climate change adaptation policies?
7. How would what you propose improve each step of the policy cycle?

* HINT, WITH REGARDS TO QUESTION 2:
• Sections 51 and 52 of the Australian Constitution give specific powers to the Commonwealth (e.g. Section 51 (xxix) gives it the power over external relations – this includes the power to enforce international treaties such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol);
• All residual powers (those not specified for the Commonwealth) are given to the states, so they have a wide degree of freedom to act on climate change; and,
• The Constitution does not mention local governments but legislation such as the Queensland Local Government Act 2009 (sections 9 and 10) outlines their powers (Note: This legislation is currently being amended to give local governments more freedom over development decisions via the Local Government and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2012).