Hours After Abbott Rejects Carbon Targets, Minister Jokes About Sinking Island Nations On Hot Mike

[hatrack]

Pacific leaders have hit out at the insensitivity of an Australian minister’s apparent joke at the expense of low-lying nations struggling against rising sea levels. Immigration minister, Peter Dutton, was caught on a microphone chatting with Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, and social services minister, Scott Morrison, while waiting for a community roundtable to begin on Friday in Canberra.

Dutton implied that meetings at the recent Pacific Islands Forum in Papua New Guinea had also begun late because: “Time doesn’t mean anything when you’re about to be, you know, have water lapping at your door.” Abbott laughed at the comment, until Morrison pointed out that there was a live microphone hovering above their heads.

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The furore broke out just hours after the Australian prime minister rejected a plea from Pacific countries to ramp up its carbon reduction targets, which observers called “pathetically inadequate” when they were released in August. Earlier, Tong told the ABC that Australia’s refusal to consider scaling up its ambitions was disappointing.

“I would really have loved to go back and say yes, we had support, solid support from all of the Pacific neighbours including our developed neighbours. How does it feel? I’ve learned to live with the disappointments,” he said. It is not the first time De Brum has used strong language to attack Australia. Earlier in the year he said the country had “jerked around” the Marshall Islands by cutting its foreign aid budget.

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http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/11/pacific-leaders-australian-minister-sea-levels-tony-de-brum-marshall-islands

[madaboutharry]

1. Ugh. There is so much wrong

with people like that getting into positions of power.

I hope the backlash is lapping at his door.