Analysis: Premier Palaszczuk playing the dangerous climate change blame game

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s decision to draw a direct link between climate change and the state’s horrific summer of fire and flood represents a new paradigm in Queensland politics, writes Steven Wardill.

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk’s decision to draw a direct link between climate change and the Sunshine State’s horrific summer of fire and floods represents a new paradigm in Queensland politics.

“Our climate,” the Premier insisted “has already changed” Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

Extreme weather used to be a time when premiers would warn about the frequency and ferocity of these events if climate change occurred. However, in making a direct link between Queensland’s weather and climate change, Palaszczuk has changed the game.

Queensland’s summer of disasters to cost $1.5b, says Premier | The Courier-Mail

“Our climate,” the Premier insisted “has already changed”.

Ms Palaszczuk has some well-qualified support for her position. In November, Climate Council experts said Queensland’s bushfires were “made worse by climate change”.

Fire ecologist Philip Stewart has insisted the intensity of the fires was “absolutely” the result of climate change.

However, it doesn’t make you a climate sceptic to question whether Queensland’s weather can accurately be linked to climate change.

Flooding in Townsville, Monday, February 4, 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Andrew Rankin

Climate scientist Judith Curry recently insisted it was wrong to link the US’s wild weather to man-made climate change, given all the modelling showed such impacts would not occur until late in the 21st century.

Townsville’s rainfall might have breached all records. But it’s important to note that our records don’t go back very far.

Palaszczuk’s position raises other issues.

She’s sitting on the fence on the future of thermal coal mining and the Government’s fossil fuel power stations.

If she says climate change is already impacting the weather, the Premier’s position will become unsustainable.