For too long, we as a nation have been selfish and inward looking. Politicians look to the next election. Individuals look to their next investment property or their next holiday, with little regard for the cost to the environment.

We are all guilty, therefore we all need to take responsibility for our actions.

As bushfires rage in NSW and Queensland, we share their grief and at the same time are thankful that it wasn't us. Not this time.

But summer hasn't started yet, and the fate that befell our neighbours could be ours next time.

Sadly the drought and bushfires have not drawn a meaningful response from any of our politicians. Not from our local, state or federal politicians with the exception of Carol Sparks, the mayor of Glen Innes, who was outraged by the insensitive comments made by one of our political leaders.

She stated: "What people need now is a little bit of sympathy and understanding and real assistance. They need help, they need shelter." She also said: "Climate change is not political. It is a science fact."

Australia is a major supporter of coal and gas, and a significant contributor to the world's ever-increasing carbon emissions. Yet, we still want to mine and search for more coal.

We hear that we need coal for more employment, when the opposite is true.

There are far more jobs involved with the production of renewable energy - energy that is clean and doesn't damage the environment.

A leading politician states that we need coal to refine aluminium. Once again, this is not the truth. Renewables can produce sufficient energy to refine iron and aluminium.

Ross Garnaut, in his recent book Super Power, says that embracing low-carbon opportunities could lead to a clean energy system which could produce more than three times the existing capacity. This would allow for a transformation of our economy, including electric transport and new and expanded industries in mineral smelting. This also means more jobs.

It's time to move to a sustainable clean energy future.