Morrison and Jones give Pacific Islands the middle finger on climate

Published by

In the end, it was hard to distinguish between what shock jock Alan Jones said, and what Australian prime minister Scott Morrison did.

Yes, Jones was offensive, abhorrent and harmful in urging Morrison to “stick a sock down the throat” of New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern – who had dared to state the obvious – before launching into one of his usual rants against climate science and climate policies.

But Morrison was little better. He sought to disown the language used by Jones, but as prime minister Morrison owns Australia’s actions. And they are equally offensive. Australia showed that it really doesn’t give a stuff about the fate of the Pacific if it means compromising the interests of its fossil fuel industry.

The communique to be issued from the Pacific Island forum was important to the Pacific Island nations. They are among the most vulnerable to its impacts and they can see the window on doing something about it closing rapidly.

A strong statement from Pacific nations ahead of a special summit convened by UN Antonio Guterres in September, in which he will urge all nations to commit to reaching zero emissions by 2050, was crucial.

Australia, however, insisted that references to an exit from coal be removed and opt-out clauses inserted on the 1.5°C target that is so crucial to the survival of the Pacific nations. The differences were managed by issuing separate communiques, one from the Pacific Island states, another weaker statement from the broader forum that included Australia.

The Pacific leaders are as disappointed with the actions of Morrison and the Australian government as they are disgusted by the words of Jones, who remains the most listened to talk-show host in Australia.

As Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama, tweeted, it’s easy for someone in a studio to use such language, a different matter for people in the Pacific forced to abandon their homes.

Tuvalu prime minister Enele Sopoaga summed up the negotiations with Australia this way: “You (Scott Morrison) are concerned about saving your economy in Australia … I am concerned about saving my people in Tuvalu. That was the tone of the discussion.”

And pointedly, Bainimarama later tweeted a photo of Morrison in Tuvalu in an another powerful observation:

“We came together in a nation that risks disappearing to the seas, but unfortunately, we settled for the status quo in our communique. watered-down language has real consequences.”

Australia is thumbing its nose at climate science. It has shuffled responsibility for climate change action from the disinterested and incompetent environment minister Melissa Price, to an equally calamitous minister for energy and emissions reductions – Angus Taylor – who insists emissions are falling when the government’s own data shows they are rising.

Australia sent a junior minister, Alex Hawke, who has repeatedly mocked climate science to lay the groundwork at Tuvalu, and sent a prime minister who proudly brandished a lump of coal in parliament, who shared a joke about rising sea levels with Tony Abbott and Peter Dutton and who has two former coal lobbyists as part of his inner advisory circle.

Australia has no plan to reach its modest target of a 26-28 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, apart from the controversial use of its “Kyoto surplus” – achieved from having effectively no reduction target at all. There are no long-term targets and no coherent short-term measures.

The country’s media and the governing Coalition is dominated by climate science denialists, and a hatred of experts and modern technologies that extends to renewable energy, batteries and electric vehicles. Maybe Hawke was the most moderate person they could find.

As for Jones, his comments are beneath contempt. As they so often are. As are so many of his colleagues on talk-back radio and in the Murdoch media, particularly the Sky News crazy gang. Clearly, these people are scared – not just of science and experts, but also powerful women who disagree with them.

Remember that Jones suggested that then prime minister Julia Gillard be stuffed in a chaff bag and taken out to sea, and his comments about Ardern are equally abhorrent.

His cohort have also attacked the mental health of teenage climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. They’ve now taken to former deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, who dares to talk our of school. And still, this Coalition government fawns all over them.

It is beyond belief.

Thankfully, though, some people still have a sense of humour.

 

Giles Parkinson

Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of Renew Economy, and is also the founder of One Step Off The Grid and founder/editor of the EV-focused The Driven. He is the co-host of the weekly Energy Insiders Podcast. Giles has been a journalist for 40 years and is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review.

Share
Published by

Recent Posts

Could $1 billion actually bring solar manufacturing back to Australia? It’s worth a shot

By 2050, solar should provide most of our electricity – but only if we have enough…

28 March 2024

Hydro Tasmania on the hunt for a new CEO amid political and renewable turmoil

Tasmanian utility begins hunt for new CEO, following the news that current chief will step…

28 March 2024

Capacity Investment Scheme needs to set high bar for communities hosting renewables

Without exception, the CIS should encourage projects that do good community engagement, with good environmental…

28 March 2024

Australia’s biggest coal generator teams up with SunDrive to make solar at Liddell

AGL signs MoU with Cannon-Brookes backed PV innovator SunDrive to explore "first of its kind"…

28 March 2024

Solar ducks and big batteries: How Alice Springs grid could run five hours a day with no fossil fuels

Alice Springs may be able to run on 100 pct renewables for an average five…

28 March 2024

“Unconscionable:” Eraring delay could cost $150m a year, adding to massive Origin windfall, report says

New analysis says the potential taxpayer cost of keeping Eraring open for another few years…

28 March 2024