Who are they, what is their platform or party platform? The Climate Council has produced this detailed report on the climate credentials of the major parties, the Greens and community independents. Jump to the scorecard for the summary.

If they have already served in Parliament, what is their track record - see theyvoteforyou.org.au to see how they have voted on issues you care about.

Make your question concise. Long explanations will make it easier for a politician to dodge the question!

It helps if your question has a yes or no answer. Don’t leave room to wiggle out of answering.

Prepare a simple, concise way of introducing yourself including where you live in the electorate. Many of our spokespeople will say that they are bushfire impacted or really worried about climate change making bushfires worse. 

Use powerful words and imagery to really engage your listeners.

Gather supporting materials on your issue (see our Conversation Guide for some powerful and fact based responses).

Arrive early, check out the room and get a good seat.

If possible film your question (or have a friend ready to film you) and the answer you get so you can share on social media and with local networks.

Look like a fan (in-person only). Take free campaign gear (stickers, signs, etc.) – this makes you more likely to get called on.

Be first! For in-person events, raise your hand “first, fast, high!” This means raise your hand immediately when it is time to ask questions, and keep it up there. For online events, get in the queue or submit a question as soon as possible. Some events may ask for questions before the Q&A has officially started – jump in so you are at the front of the line. If you are required to type in your question, have your question above easily available so you can quickly copy and paste it in.

Get the handshake (in-person only). Some candidates will do a handshake line after events to take pictures and greet constituents. This is a great chance to ask a question or follow up on an answer.

Our region has always been at risk from bushfires but climate change is making them more frequent and more dangerous. How will your party/policy policies make us safer in the short term and the long run?

Climate change is making disasters more frequent and driving up the cost of insurance premiums. We’re tough in [name of your town or region] but it's not fair that we have to keep paying higher and higher premiums. Is it time to talk about getting the big corporations making superprofits out of our coal and gas to pay into a compensation fund for disaster hit communities?

The impacts of a heating planet are manifesting themselves at the regional, national, and local level. Regionally, our Pacific Island neighbours are affected by rising sea levels; nationally, Australia has seen extreme bushfires and floods since 2020; and locally, many in our community have been affected by bushfire smoke, extreme heat, and storms. What climate impacts concern you the most? What are the priority actions you would take to address them if elected?

Looking seven generations down the track, what is the one thing you would want to do in this next parliament to safeguard that 7th future generation?

How will you ensure that Australians who rent can access the benefits of solar, electrification and energy-efficiency upgrades in the next term of government?

For a Labor candidate: In 2021, the International Energy Agency released an analysis that showed that governments must rule out new coal, oil, and gas projects to have any chance of achieving the global coal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Sadly, in this term of office, 21 coal and gas projects have been approved. Will Labor show political leadership by setting a date for the fast-and-fair phase out of coal and gas exports? 

For a Liberal candidate: In 2021, the International Energy Agency released an analysis that showed that governments must rule out new coal, oil, and gas projects to have any chance of achieving the global coal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Sadly, the Liberal and National parties have a plan to approve a “bucket load” of gas projects. This would include the controversial North West Shelf offshore gas project in WA. Do you personally support the Liberal-National opposition’s plan to approve a bucket load of gas which goes against the International Energy Agency’s analysis?

Begin with a brief thank you or acknowledgement, if possible.

Be polite, respectful, assertive, and concise.

Remain focused and cordial even if your question is blown over. Be firm in repeating the question and asking for an appropriate response.

Don’t embarrass the candidate or get into an argument with them.