Climate change is the greatest test that my, and future generations will face. I've been a meteorologist for 10 years, and I'm a firsthand witness to extreme weather brought on by climate change. I specialise in forecasting and communicating these events at the Bureau of Meteorology; from the Black Summer bushfires to the Maribyrnong floods.
Yet the cost is overwhelming borne by the most vulnerable and socio-economically disadvantaged in our community, what I call "extreme weather inequality". Language barriers and a lack of proper support can mean the difference between life and death during floods, bushfires and heatwaves. Australia has fallen behind in its response and protection of vulnerable people; I hope to change this.
During extreme weather, I help the community understand what it means for them. I appear on television, radio and social media, and brief government agencies on how communities will be impacted.
But I'm most passionate about reducing "extreme weather inequality", especially among multicultural and diverse communities. I'm a 2nd-generation immigrant - my parents migrated from Malaysia - from a Chinese and Malay-speaking household, and I'm also fluent in Spanish. I'm also a Multicultural Ambassador at the Bureau, and work with the United Nations to better understand and document the impacts of extreme weather.
I'm just one cog in the machine, but am dedicated to keeping the community safe and informed as we face more extreme weather due to climate change.