Australian Bushfires

Debate between Richard Drax and Heather Wheeler

Thursday 9th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Wheeler]

I thank the hon. Gentleman—I hope I may also call him my friend—for his question. Interestingly, because the UK is Chair-in-Office at the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth has actually been a long-standing champion for environmental protection and climate action since its first official mention in the Commonwealth Langkawi declaration on the environment in 1989. We will take this matter seriously and it will be on the agenda for CHOGM.

[Richard Drax (South Dorset) (Con)]

I welcome you to your place, Madam Deputy Speaker.

May I offer my deepest sympathy at all those in Australia affected by this terrible fire? I spent a year and a half out there as a much younger man and experienced the intense heat myself, working out in the bush. Can the Minister help us understand how these fires started? Arson plays a role. Does she have any evidence or feedback from the Australian Government on how the fires physically started?

[Mrs Wheeler]

Very regrettably, it is widely reported on social media that 75% of the fires were started by arsonists.