“This Country Is a Tinderbox”: Australia Braces for More Devastation as Gov’t Denies Climate Crisis

Bless Amy Goodman and all the truth-tellers who are repeatedly connecting this horror, and devastating climate disruption worldwide, to the man made climate crisis and the dire reality of the climate emergency that we are in — which is something the corporate media fails to do again and again. We must inform ourselves and ACT! — Molly

Australia is bracing for what is expected to be the worst weekend yet in an already devastating climate-fueled wildfire season that has ravaged the southeastern part of the country, killed at least 18 people and nearly half a billion animals, and destroyed 14.5 million acres of land. As thousands of evacuees fled to the beaches, conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing growing outrage for his inaction on climate and close ties with the coal industry. As fires blazed in December, the prime minister went on a holiday to Hawaii. He told reporters this week that fighting the fires — not climate change — was his top priority. On Thursday, Morrison was shouted out of the town of Carbago after being confronted by angry fire victims. We go to Melbourne, Australia, to speak with Tim Flannery, chief councilor at the Australian-based Climate Council.

AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman. Australia is bracing for what’s expected to be the worst weekend yet in an already devastating climate-fueled wildfire season that’s ravaged the southeastern part of the country, killing at least 18 people, nearly half a billion animals, as well, destroyed 14-and-a-half million acres. The state of New South Wales, which includes the capital Sydney, declared a state of emergency Thursday, and the state of Victoria declared a state of disaster.

As thousands of evacuees fled to the beaches, conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters this week that fighting the fires — not climate change — is his top priority. Morrison faces growing outrage for his inaction on climate and close ties with the coal industry. As fires blazed in December, the prime minister went on holiday to Hawaii. On Thursday, Morrison was shouted out of a small town after being confronted by angry fire victims, this coming as Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology confirmed 2019 was the continent’s highest year on record.

In these last few minutes, we go to Melbourne, Australia, where we’re joined by Tim Flannery, climate activist, part of the government’s Climate Commission before it was disbanded. Now he’s chief counsel for the Australian-based Climate Council.

Welcome back to Democracy Now!, Tim. In these last few minutes, describe your country, what has happened, and how the — what many see as the Trump of Australia, the prime minister, often called a climate change-denying prime minister, has mobilized or not mobilized the government.

Please continue this transcript or watch the full video interview here: https://www.democracynow.org/2020/1/3/this_country_is_a_tinderbox_australia