Barker MP Tony Pasin defends Liberal branch president’s climate rant

A high-ranking SA Liberal declared “the left” had no place in his party in an unearthed rant against teal MPs that labelled climate change an unscientific “fever”.

Widespread concerns about climate change are “unscientific” and there is a growing number of young voters who “don’t have the intellect” to comprehend climate science, according to the Liberal Party’s Barker president.

In the days following the federal election last month, Stuart Andrew went on a stunning rant in an email sent to Liberal members in its Barker branch, celebrating conservative MP Tony Pasin’s win.

“Most voters in this seat have the wit to appreciate that the climate fever is not only unscientific, but economically disastrous,” Mr Andrew wrote in the May 23 email seen by The Advertiser.

“The left of the party were routed by the even more extreme teal independents (who have been accurately described as ‘posh thickos’) (sic.).”

Mr Andrew wrote “we now have a category of young voters who have been fed the propaganda and don’t have the intellect to research or to comprehend the various arguments and facts around climate science”.

In the wake of the Coalition’s disastrous loss at the federal election, new Liberal leader Peter Dutton has promised “sensible” action on climate change.

New Nationals leader David Littleproud has supported hitting net zero greenhouse emissions by 2050.

Mr Andrew wrote he blamed the party’s left for its election loss and said “the left have no place in our party”.

Barker MP Tony Pasin secured 66.7 per cent of the two party-preferred vote in Barker, beating Labor candidate Mark Braes.

He also defended controversial former Warringah candidate Katherine Deves, who described transgender children as “surgically mutilated and sterilised” in tweets she has since apologised for.

Mr Andrew said Ms Deves was an “eloquent” candidate who he said was unfairly targeted by the left.

“Their objection to her was just plain facile and woke,” he wrote.

“She was muzzled by the party administration, yet polled remarkably well.”

Ms Deves secured just 39.3 per cent of the two party-preferred vote, losing by a big margin to independent Zali Steggall.

In his email, Mr Andrew said Mr Pasin’s re-election for a fourth term was “quite historic”.

“He has consolidated Barker’s Liberal vote to the extent that it is probably our nation’s safest seat,” he wrote.

Mr Pasin distanced himself from Mr Andrew’s views when contacted by The Advertiser.

“The Liberal Party is a very broad church and as president of the Barker Federal Electorate Council, Stuart is entitled to express his opinion,” Mr Pasin said.

“I’m grateful that he has acknowledged the hard work that I put in over eight-and-a-half years and the campaign success we’ve had.”

Mr Andrew has been contacted for comment.

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