Environment: Class and race fuel climate collapse in Northern Territory |
From devastating floods in the Northern Territory to the global failure to curb fossil fuels and the human cost of shipbreaking, environmental damage is accelerating – and hitting the most vulnerable hardest.
Climate catastrophes here and now in the NT
Most of my weekly titbits are based on statistical information about what’s currently happening or expected to happen as a consequence of climate change and destruction of our natural environment. But the consequences of our negligence are already having devastating effects on people’s lives.
This is well illustrated by Amanda Parkinson’s recent article, _Collapsing from the Top_, about the effects of the extensive and devastating floods that have brought displacement, misery and chaos to many in the Northern Territory since November last year.
The strength of Parkinson’s writing lies not in her descriptions of blocked roads, interrupted power supplies and inundated homes and town centres – we can see that on our TV screens. Rather it is her identification of who is most affected by the floods and who make up nearly all the residents of the evacuation centres – tick the box saying “Aboriginal families and communities” for both – and her descriptions of the conditions in the evacuation centres.
Most importantly, Parkinson asks, “Why the floods?” and “Why the appalling conditions in some of the centres?” In response, she points the finger straight at the NT government, aided and abetted by the Commonwealth government turning a blind eye when it suits them.
I don’t think that she ever uses the word “racism” in the article but it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that this plays a considerable part in why Aboriginal communities are most exposed, most vulnerable and least able to cope.
For example, three-quarters of households in remote communities had their electricity supply disconnected at least ten times in a year; 90 per cent were disconnected at least once.
Such numbers do not represent individual poverty or fecklessness; they display callous disregard by the authorities for understanding what is going wrong at the local and policy levels and what needs to be........