Who holds a hose? Climate change as a national security risk in Australian federalism

Abstract

The climate is warming. Ice is melting. Storms are brewing. We are at five minutes to midnight, with disasters set to increase in frequency and intensity.

Climate change is now widely accepted, including by the Australian Defence Force, as a national security risk – and not least because of the risk of increased disasters and ensuing resource drain. In short, it matters “who holds the hose”, to borrow the infamous remark of the then Australian prime minister during the 2019-20 bushfire crisis.

It is a common misperception, even among senior officials, that the Australian Constitution mandates disaster response as a state responsibility, with the federal government obliged to play a more limited role. The truth, however, is far more nuanced than that, and this matters for how the country manages disasters and the response to climate change. Show more