Climate change risks rank alongside counterterrorism and cyber security as a key priority for Australia’s home affairs department, according to a recent estimate hearing.
On Feb. 13, the secretary for home affairs, Mike Pezzullo, faced questioning from Senator Alex Antic, who asked whether the department’s focus on climate change risks was “comedy [or] parody?”
Pezzullo would eventually respond, saying the department was responsible for providing “policy and legislative advice” to the Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watts.
“I genuinely don’t know how to respond to a rather oddly put question. You asked me whether it’s comedy. It’s my job. I don’t; I don’t really understand what you’re asking me?”…