Climate change threatens homes

More than 700,000 properties along the Australian coast are under threat from climate change related storms and rising sea levels according to a report from a parliamentary committee.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts calls for government action to help coastal communities prepare for climate change, including the preparation of evacuation routes and early action to prevent the spread of tropical disease.

About 80,000 properties are believed to be in the firing line in Victoria, 200,000 in NSW, 250,000 in Queensland, 94,000 in Western Australia, 60,000 in South Australia, 17,000 in Tasmania and 900 in the Northern Territory. The combined worth of all these properties is estimated at more than AU$150 billion.