The AFR View

Climate zealotry and populism reignite carbon wars

The pushing up of Barnaby Joyce to the second top job in Canberra and the pushing out of Mark Vaile from the top job at Newcastle University are the depressing bookends of Australia’s renewed coal wars.

Jun 23, 2021 – 7.41pm

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The depressing bookends of Australia’s reignited carbon wars are displayed by the restoration of climate populist Barnaby Joyce to Australia’s second top political job having coincided with a climate activist campaign forcing former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister Mark Vaile to withdraw from the chancellorship of Newcastle University.

The two events are linked because it’s the kind of anti-fossil-fuel climate zealotry displayed in Newcastle that has helped to bring Mr Joyce back to the front rank of politics in Canberra.

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