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Farmers and rural communities in the Hawkesbury are being urged to be placed at the centre of Australia’s climate response, as growers across the country call for stronger, science-based climate policy and better coordination of climate change adaptation.
Farmers for Climate Action this week released an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal opposition leaders, calling for bipartisan commitment to climate policies aligned with scientific advice and the establishment of a new national authority to oversee climate adaptation.
The call comes as Hawkesbury farmers continue to recover from years of extreme weather, including repeated flooding along the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, prolonged drought and heatwaves that have placed pressure on crops, livestock and farm infrastructure.
"We’re seeing more intense storms and longer dry spells. It’s not just about the farm anymore, it’s about keeping our community alive. We need policies that protect us before disaster strikes, not just aid after." Local Hawkesbury Farmer Phil Burkitt said.
Vigneron and Emeritus Professor of Horticulture and Viticulture at the University of Melbourne, Professor Snow Barlow, said farmers were on the frontline of climate impacts.
“Farmers and rural communities are in the firing line every time floods and fires rip through regional Australia,” Professor Barlow said.
Farmers for Climate Action says the impacts extend beyond agricultural production, affecting mental health, insurance affordability and the long-term resilience of regional communities such as those in the Hawkesbury.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Verity Morgan-Schmidt said climate-driven disasters including floods, fires, drought and heatwaves should no longer be viewed as isolated events.
“These are the signals of climate change,” she said. “The cumulative impact of livestock losses, damaged infrastructure, economic strain and rising insurance costs must be front and centre in the national political agenda.”
Ms Morgan-Schmidt said while farmers were often the first to experience the impacts, climate change ultimately affected everyone.
The open letter, which has been signed by more than 1,300 people, also calls for rural and regional communities to be prioritised during Australia’s transition to clean energy, ensuring local voices are included in planning and investment decisions.
Emergency services veteran and former NSW Fire and Rescue Commissioner Greg Mullins AO AFSM, also a signatory, said better coordination and long-term planning were essential to improving resilience in fire- and flood-prone regions.
For Hawkesbury farmers, the call reflects a growing push for long-term solutions that move beyond disaster recovery and towards prevention, adaptation and resilience in a region increasingly exposed to extreme weather.
