Ten Australians affected by extreme weather events are taking a legal complaint against the federal government to the UN human rights committee. The group, which includes a legally blind man trapped by floods, a bushfire victim who lost his home, and an Indigenous woman distressed by toxic algal blooms, argues that the government's continued support for fossil fuel exports has directly harmed them.
Brendon Donohue, 33, was trapped alone in his Brisbane apartment for ten days during February 2022 floods. Legally blind and with limited mobility due to Peters plus syndrome, he received evacuation alerts but could not safely leave as the lift and entrance were shut down. “It was terrifying,” he said. “The power went out, which made me not able to contact anyone. I ran out of food but couldn’t get any into the building.”
Jack Egan lost his house in Batemans Bay, New South Wales, to bushfires on New Year’s Eve 2019. He recalled flames consuming his home and running through embers to escape. He feared his partner Cath had died before they reunited on a nearby beach. “I thought for some time that she was dead,” he said. Mel Fisher, from Adelaide, endured a heatwave last summer with temperatures above 40°C, exacerbating her auto-inflammatory skin condition. “I genuinely thought I might die from the heat,” she said.
The complaint, backed by the Human Rights Law Centre, Environmental Justice Australia, and Earthjustice, is the first such claim since the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on states' obligations to prevent climate harm. The claimants argue that Australia violates their human rights by supporting coal and gas developments. If the UN committee finds in their favour, it could recommend actions, though these would not be enforceable.
Scientists supporting the claim, including Professor David Karoly, say the link between fossil fuel burning and extreme weather is clear. “International and Australian agencies have repeatedly demonstrated this connection,” he said.
