LNP Member for Bonney Sam O’Connor calls for action on climate change

The Gold Coast’s youngest LNP MP, Sam O’Connor, is a believer in climate change and wants to work with others to find solutions to start dealing with consequences like the bushfires.

THE Gold Coast’s youngest LNP MP is a believer in climate change and wants to work with others to find solutions to start dealing with consequences such as bushfires.

Smoke blankets the Gold Coast as fire tears through the hinterland last year. Picture: Luke Marsden.

“It’s not a topic up for debate because like all science it’s based on the strength of the evidence, not someone’s opinion,” Bonney MP Sam O’Connor wrote on his Facebook page this week.

“Both ‘sides’, especially those on the extremes, have made climate change one of the most frustrating and divisive topics to talk about.

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“Some politicians are often singled out and given huge publicity as ‘deniers’ but they are a small minority – probably representative of the amount of people in the general population who don’t accept climate science. Climate change is happening and the only debates we should be having are about how we deal with it.”

Mr O’Connor, 28, was speaking out after Coast Federal MP Karen Andrews talked about the bushfire response before meeting with top scientists.

“Every second that we spend discussing whether or not climate change is real is a second that we don’t spend talking about and putting in place the strategies to mitigate the effects,” the Science Minister said in a statement.

Photos of the hinterland fires taken on September 4 last year. Picture: Dirk Klynsmith/dirkklynsmithphotography.com

Mr O’Connor’s stance on climate change was welcomed by some readers of his Facebook page.

A resident in a response posted: “I’ve never voted Liberal but I’ve followed you, Sam, since I moved into the area and I’ve been very impressed with your commitment to the community.

Bonney MP Sam O'Connor is often asked by young students about climate change and his party’s policy.

“I’m even more impressed now. Keep it up.”

Mr O’Connor told the Bulletin the state LNP had released a 12-point plan to reduce the impact of bushfires, which included initiatives such as streamlining the approval for backburning. He said the LNP announced it also supported more autonomy for indigenous rangers to undertake traditional burning, and would create a National Disaster Cabinet Committee to monitor preparations.

Asked if his position conflicted with the views of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, he replied: “He did signal the other day … he did talk about evolving their broader climate change policy. The key thing is without risking the existing industries.”