Climate change denial remains strong in the Aus government

[pErvinalia]

Yep. And even more frightening is that Australia's richest man (or thereabouts), mining magnate Clive Palmer, somehow got elected to the Senate with a bunch of his fellow joke candidates, and now holds the balance of power there (well, he will when officially seated in June next year). He's been perfectly clear that he sees no conflict of interest between his business interests and his aggressive policy positions on climate change. He's literally a joke, but a horrific one who is now a threat to reasonable governance here in Aus, and makes no effort to hide the fact that he believes it's his duty to represent what he terms a "persecuted minority" in this country - billionaires. With him and the ultra conservative climate change denying Liberals (equivalent, more or less, to your Repubs) holding the Lower house and therefore the government, we are in for a quite scary next 3+ years.

edit: looking at the wiki article on him, I see he's "barely" a billionaire. So while he's nowhere near the richest man in the country, he's certainly rich enough.

[JimC]

The problem with his "logic" is that this issue isn't a comparison between pre-white and post-white. The comparison is between pre-industry intensive white and current white. The fact is that bushfires are increasing in intensity, despite the fact that there has been virtually no change in Aboriginal fire management in the last 50 odd years. It's not the "abbos" fault, like the racist twat would like to have us believe.

Honestly, I didn't read his post that way, in the sense of blaming aboriginals (insensitive use of the word "abbos" aside...)

[pErvinalia]

Yeah, you are right. I was just incensed that he was being so racist. His "logic" is still borked, though. Fires have increased in intensity (and possibly frequency) in the last few decades or more, despite reduced and fragmented bushland. It doesn't take a genius to work out why that is.

[mistermack]

If abbos is like niggers, it's because of the way that the people were treated, not because of the word itself.
So don't get so high and mighty. Same with the word Pakkis. It was never a suspect word, until the advent of ''pakki-bashing'' by skinhead nazis.
So if abbos has become a bad word, that's an indication of how badly you Australians have treated them.

And how disrespectful you continue to be to them by using the word. Don't be a prick. Stop using the word.

I only have the word of a prick that it is disrespectful.

Abbos abbos abbos.

[Tero]

Army admitted causing one brush fire.

[JimC]

Army admitted causing one brush fire.

Yes, the Defence Department will no doubt have to fork out compensation money for that one...

Down in Victoria, we've had rain and cool weather, but they are predicting a long, hot summer, so we will probably have our share later...

[mistermack]

They'll be calling monty python disrespectful next :

[JimC]

In modern Australia, "abbo" is certainly a term used my racists meaning to denigrate those they apply it to.

I suppose it doesn't matter in an internet forum debate.

However, for your health's sake, I would suggest not using it as you walked down a street in Alice Springs.

[mistermack]

It's funny. Fifty years ago, ''Abbos'' was ok, and ''Blacks'' was a bit suspect.
Now they seem to have swapped them around.

At least poofters is still ok. At the University of Wallamalloo anyway. An ex of mine works at the University of Wollongong.
I'll have to ask her if it's still ''no poofters'' in the philosophy department.

[JimC]

It's funny. Fifty years ago, ''Abbos'' was ok, and ''Blacks'' was a bit suspect.
Now they seem to have swapped them around.

At least poofters is still ok. At the University of Wallamalloo anyway. An ex of mine works at the University of Wollongong.
I'll have to ask her if it's still ''no poofters'' in the philosophy department.

[pErvinalia]

If abbos is like niggers, it's because of the way that the people were treated, not because of the word itself.
So don't get so high and mighty. Same with the word Pakkis. It was never a suspect word, until the advent of ''pakki-bashing'' by skinhead nazis.
So if abbos has become a bad word, that's an indication of how badly you Australians have treated them.

And how disrespectful you continue to be to them by using the word. Don't be a prick. Stop using the word.

I only have the word of a prick that it is disrespectful.

Abbos abbos abbos.

What the hell is wrong with you?

You're suffering from irrelevant old white dude syndrome. Thankfully you'll become even less relevant (if that's even possible) as time goes on.

[mistermack]

You're suffering from irrelevant old white dude syndrome. Thankfully you'll become even less relevant (if that's even possible) as time goes on.

I try not to have any self delusions of relevance or importance.
You've got enough for both of us.

[pErvinalia]

[JimC]

Could we stick to the topic instead of getting cranky with each other, guys?

[pErvinalia]

Tell the racist to pull his head and I will.