Independent Kooyong MP Dr Monique Ryan is spearheading a bold new campaign demanding that Australia introduce a formal naming system for extreme heatwaves, mirroring the long-established practice used for tropical cyclones. As Melbourne sweltered under a blistering 44-degree Celsius heat on Tuesday, the teal MP, whose electorate covers the city's affluent inner eastern suburbs, argued that the nation's deadliest natural hazard deserves far greater public recognition and urgent governmental action.
A Silent Killer Demanding a Voice
Dr Ryan contends that while catastrophic events like Black Summer, Cyclone Yasi, and the Lismore floods are indelibly etched into the national consciousness, heatwaves remain a 'silent killer'. She points to data showing they are responsible for more Australian deaths than floods, storms, and bushfires combined. 'Heat kills, and it's time the Albanese government did something about it,' Ryan stated emphatically.
The intense heat straining Victoria this week forced a dramatic pause in play at the Australian Open, with organisers closing the roof over Rod Laver Arena and shutting all outer courts. Meanwhile, firefighters continued to battle out-of-control bushfires in the Otways, fuelled by hot, dry, and gusty winds, as temperatures in some parts of the state approached a staggering 50C.
Linking the Hazard to its Source
In a provocative move, Ryan's 'Name Heatwaves, Save Lives' campaign proposes that the most severe heatwaves should be formally named after major fossil fuel companies. She argues this would directly highlight the link between extreme weather events and the industries contributing to climate change.
'Fossil fuels are the leading cause of climate change. They contribute to longer, hotter and more frequent heatwaves,' Ryan explained. 'Declaring a Category 4 ''Heatwave Santos'' or ''Heatwave Woodside'' would mean far more to the public than a vague ''temperature spike''.'
She compared the strategy to historic public-health campaigns that only achieved real change after confronting the public with the true harms of tobacco. 'To tackle our most deadly climate hazard, heat, we should start by calling it what it is, and by asking those who profit from it to own their share of that harm.'
Systemic Strain and Public Health Warnings
Ryan detailed how intense heat 'strains every system in the body', stressing the heart, destabilising diabetes management, worsening respiratory conditions, and intensifying mental health crises. 'When temperatures rise, so do emergency department presentations,' she noted.
This warning was echoed by Victorian Chief Health Officer Dr Caroline McElnay, who cautioned that prolonged heat poses severe risks to people aged 65 and over, those with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, babies, and children. 'It can cause potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but it can also trigger events like heart attacks or stroke,' Dr McElnay said, urging the public to take steps to keep cool.
A Framework for Communication and Safety
The MP's proposal calls for the federal government to build on decades of successful cyclone communications strategy. Since the 1960s, cyclones have been formally named to simplify crucial communication between authorities, the media, and the public during emergencies.
Ryan argues that a similar, formalised system for heatwaves—categorising them by severity and improving public information—would significantly lift community risk awareness, enhance health service responses, and strengthen overall emergency planning. 'Every heatwave is a potential mass-casualty event; by naming them, we can save Australian lives,' she asserted.
She criticised the media's tendency to portray heatwaves as benign 'warm spells', insisting they must be recognised for the grave danger they represent. With authorities issuing extreme fire danger warnings across Victoria and Melbourne under an extreme fire danger rating this week, the call for a new approach to communicating heat risk has never been more pressing.
