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'Lightweight hoax swallower': Alan Jones, Aussies slam Jacinda Ardern

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Thu, 15 Aug 2019, 1:17PM
Broadcaster Alan Jones and a number of Australians have slammed Jacinda Ardern after she took aim at Scott Morrison over climate change. Photo / Getty
Broadcaster Alan Jones and a number of Australians have slammed Jacinda Ardern after she took aim at Scott Morrison over climate change. Photo / Getty

'Lightweight hoax swallower': Alan Jones, Aussies slam Jacinda Ardern

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Thu, 15 Aug 2019, 1:17PM

Broadcaster Alan Jones and a number of Australians have slammed Jacinda Ardern after she took aim at Scott Morrison over climate change, labelling her a "lightweight Prime Minister" with a "cargo cult mentality".

Yesterday Ardern hit out at Australia's lack of commitment to greater cuts in carbon emissions.

She addressed leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum and pressed Australia to do more in the fight against climate change.

However, it is a demand Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has rebuffed.

"Like our Pacific Island neighbours, we will continue that international call," she said.

"We will continue to say that New Zealand will do its bit and we have an expectation that everyone else will as well — we have to.

"Australia has to answer to the Pacific [and] that's a matter for them."

But Ardern's message to Scott Morrison has been met with fierce backlash from Alan Jones and a number of like-minded Australians.

Jones was upfront in his criticism of Ardern, saying Kiwis prefer Scott Morrison to herself and labelled the Prime Minister a "swallower of the [climate change] hoax".

"There's a headline story today where this lightweight New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is challenging Scott Morrison over climate change," Jones said on social media.

"This is this Pacific Leaders' Forum where the cargo cult mentality is alive and well.

"Talk climate change and we might be panicked into more money. Jacinda Ardern getting a headline because she's promised a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

"But she's excluded agriculture and methane, that's cows breaking wind because they contribute half of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions.

"The fact is since 1990 New Zealand has grown carbon dioxide per capita at 10.8 per cent.

"Now I don't have a problem with carbon dioxide. It's only these swallowers of the hoax that seem to be worrying.

"But if they want to make it an issue, they had better live with the facts.

"New Zealand CO2 has grown by 10.8 per cent; Australia 1.8 per cent since 1990 ... When it comes to wind and solar which she's in love with, we get 12.1 per cent, New Zealand 0.93 per cent.

"Global emissions, we're responsible for .0000134 per cent. New Zealand, .00000124 per cent.

"The point is, no matter what either of us does, there will be no impact."

New Zealand has committed to cutting its carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, just two percentage points more than Australia's target.

The country did not sign up for binding 2020 targets under the Kyoto 2 process after nearly missing its target for the first round.

Despite Ardern's goals and promises to tackle climate change, some Australians have had enough telling her to butt out of international politics.

"Sort out your own country first. Lead by example not finger-pointing!" one wrote.

Another said: "Go away Jacinda and take your pie in the sky ideas with you."

"Ardern truly a darling of the left but a lightweight on constructive political solutions.

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