Terms of reference

The Senate referred the following matters to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 December 2025:

(a)the Government’s secrecy and withholding of the Climate Risk Assessment (the assessment) from the Australian public since 2024;

(b)the research, consultation and preparation of the assessment by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water;

(c)the expected ongoing impacts upon the Australian community that are contained within the assessment;

(d)the budgetary costs of both climate driven natural disasters and any government adaptation plans;

(e)the Government’s ongoing approach to transparency related to reducing emissions and adaptation to a world currently on track for 2.6 to 3.1 degrees of warming; and

(f)any other related matters.