MEDIAWATCH: Climate Denier ZB demands no one ask PM any climate change questions as he tours ramifications of climate change disaster he’s exacerbating

What new hell is this?

Perspective with Ryan Bridge: There’s a time and a place to protest

Now, have a listen to this. This happened in Thames this morning as the Prime Minister arrived to go and check on the damage to the properties and check out the roads and to meet with the victims’ families. 

It’s a disgrace what you’re doing with your climate positive, Prime Minister. It’s an absolute disgrace and we’re suffering now.

You’re listening to a bunch of protesters heckling the Prime Minister. They’re yelling shame as he gets into his car. And yesterday, Chris Hipkins mentioned climate change in his message to victims’ families.

Now, everybody in this country knows how political climate change has become. Well, not, no, that’s wrong. Not so much climate change, but how we respond to it.

So to wave banners and bring into the debate about climate change, absolutely they’re right. The protesters, they have the right to do that.

It’s also the right of the Leader of the Opposition to mention it in his address as well. But the question is whether it’s in good taste. And I reckon it’s a bit off for a couple of reasons.

…ok, ok, ok.

A couple of things.

1 – This is the exact same right wing talking point used in Amerika every single time there is a gun shooting with Republicans and pro gun nutters criticising any response that demands actual action beyond ‘thoughts and prayers’. People protesting at the PM touring a disaster site enflamed by climate change when he has cut the Climate Funds, cut environmental protections and cut public transport are righteous to be furious with him!

If not now, when?

When do we get to challenge this PM using a disaster zone caused by climate warming that his policies are contributing to? When can we criticise his using climate change as a back drop for his socials?

Back to Ryan…

One, we still have teenagers trapped under a landslide at the Mount. Their families, desperate, emotional as you can well imagine, banners shouting anger through the news at a time like this, I would have thought was a bit much.

…I’m not sure using the loss of life as a shield to defend the Prime Minister from criticism is really the strongest case you use in this situation. It feels like you are using their bodies as a human shield, which when you imagine it, is remarkably crass.

One could easily argue the Governments cuts to civil defence and the fire fighters could cause more deaths.

According to Vote Prime Minister and Cabinet (which funds emergency management leadership and support):

• $21.794 million decrease relating to funding transfers between financial years

• $1.800 million decrease for Civil Defence Emergency Management training and administration

• $1.285 million decrease for the Pacific Partnership Programme

• $0.860 million decrease for establishment and expansion of the National Emergency Management Facility

That’s a *total of roughly $25.7 million less for these core items in 2025/26 than previously budgeted.

When can we ask the Prime Minister about that?

Back to Ryan…

Number 2, the idea that by closing a few farms and getting rid of some cows in New Zealand, you will somehow stop the rain from falling and the landslides from slipping is just wrong. All the scientists agree it would take unified global action, most importantly, from the big four players to move the dial even an inch.

…this is the fall back climate denial position pushed by big business. It goes something like this:

“We are too small to make a difference so who cares, more cows’.

What this position always misses is that NZ can be a true Green Leader in post-growth sustainability and if a small country like us CAN’T make significant progress, then there is no road map for others to follow. Now is the time for bold leadership, not cowardice. How on earth can actually spending money on adaptation not be the solution here?

How free market is Ryan?

Is he saying the free market of natural disasters shouldn’t be interfered with by state regulation?

Is he a Climate Libertarian?

Building up community resilience through the local RSAs, Marae, and Civil Defence makes sense because the climate is getting dangerously unstable and these events are going to start cavalcading into reality now.

Back to Ryan…

And right now, as everybody well knows, those players, especially the US, doing the opposite.

…y-e-a-h.

Again, not sure bowing in cowardice to Trump is a solution here. Appeasement is hoping the crocodile eats you last as the saying goes.

But good to know that Ryan will volunteer if we ever need to send total capitulation to America.

Now is the exact time the Prime Minister should be forced to explain how his war on the environment and slashing of Civil Defence budgets makes us safer in a climate changing world that his policies will exacerbate.

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