According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Australia has just recorded its hottest 12-month period on record, with national temperatures 1.61°C above average.
Phys.org reports that the past year has been punctuated by catastrophic floods, intensified cyclones, and back-to-back coral bleaching events—many directly linked to this warming trend.
Nowhere is the crisis more visible than along South Australia’s coast, where marine life has washed ashore en masse—victims of a devastating algal bloom fuelled by warming seas and nutrient run-off.
Sharks, rays, and bottom-dwelling fish are among the casualties. Marine scientists warn it could be the sign of an ecosystem on the brink.
“It’s a dire warning,” says one expert.
This environmental upheaval arrives amid a dramatic political shift.
In a clear public endorsement of stronger climate action, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party secured a resounding victory in the 2025 federal election. The party now faces the challenge of translating bold promises into real outcomes.
Labor has pledged 82% renewable electricity by 2030 and introduced the Net Zero Economy Authority to manage the transition. It also reformed the Safeguard Mechanism to limit industrial emissions.
The Guardian writes that “Australia has backed a rapid shift to renewable energy.”
However, the opposition Coalition has proposed a controversial $120 billion nuclear energy plan that could add 2 billion tonnes of emissions while cutting $30 billion from existing renewables, prompting a wave of backlash from climate scientists and energy analysts alike.
ABC News reports the plan is under fire for undermining Australia’s climate targets.
At the community level, councils are taking climate responsibility into their own hands.
In Victoria’s Surf Coast Shire, officials are ending their carbon offset program to focus on direct action—electrifying council buildings and converting fleets to electric vehicles.
The Herald Sun notes the council is still aiming for net-zero by 2030, excluding landfill emissions.
The Climate Change Authority stresses the urgency of cutting emissions across all sectors—transport, agriculture, and heavy industry.
At the federal level, the Albanese Government has expanded marine protections and introduced a long-anticipated Environment Protection Agency to enforce stronger environmental laws. See a full overview on Wikipedia’s Albanese Government page.
As global temperatures rise, Australia stands at a crossroads—either to lead the world in climate resilience or to become a case study in missed opportunity.
Links
- Australia records hottest 12-month period – Phys.org
- Mass fish kill in SA a warning – Adelaide Now
- Australia votes for climate action – The Guardian
- Nuclear plan emissions report – ABC News
- Surf Coast to replace carbon offsets – Herald Sun
- Climate policy analysis – ABC News
- Overview of Albanese government policies – Wikipedia