Bushfires must have burned synapses in brains of certain journalists

Climate-change hysteria cops a bucket of cold water, editorial, The Australian, Thursday:

Has journalism gone mad? How else to make sense of the hysteria around Scott Morrison’s vacation, loony claims his government has abandoned national leadership during the bushfire crisis … The incendiary slur Mr Morrison or his government is responsible for the climate right now or his policies have caused the bushfires could use a bucket of water. Let’s get real, folks, especially those in the crystal sewer of Twitter … (Chris) Kenny put it best when he observed “rational arguments, hard facts and intelligent debate have been cast aside in favour of woke whingeing”.

7.30’s chief political correspondent Laura Tingle, ABC, December 13:

Having lost control of the discussion about bushfires and what to do about them, there is little sign that Scott Morrison knows how to correct his language, or his apparent grasp of a response back to something that is reassuring, rather than contentious.

Political editor Katharine Murphy, Guardian Australia, Wednesday:

Let’s talk about Scott Morrison’s holiday. The prime minister is on holidays … while the country is still burning. Morrison’s ill-judged holiday … somehow epitomises everything that’s wrong with this bloke.

More Murphy:

People are angry about Morrison’s mini-break because it symbolises the lack of leadership he has shown on the bushfires.

Sky News, Tuesday:

Host Chris Kenny says attacking Scott Morrison for being on holiday during bushfire season is “nasty stuff fuelled by climate alarmists” who are trying to “pretend this year’s bushfires are something new or different” … the “filth” on social media which is “fuel­led, joined and encouraged by some green-left politicians” are attacking the prime minister for being on holidays during what they call a bushfire crisis. “If they can’t stick to factual, sober sensible arguments then they should just keep quiet,” he said. “The idea that anything Morrison or anyone else in Australia can do … to change it is about as fact-free, irrational and absurd as you could get.”

Take that as a comment, perhaps, news.com.au, Tuesday:

Former fire chief Greg Mullins has declined to criticise Scott Morrison for going on holiday while bushfires burn. “Look, everybody needs a holiday. I’m not going to comment on what (he’s) doing, and frankly at the moment, the government’s not doing much in this space anyway. So I don’t think it really matters.”

The ABC, Wednesday:

Some Labor MPs have posted online barbs to criticise Mr Morrison for taking a break as bushfires continue to burn in his home state. But those comments have not been reciprocated by the Opposition Leader, who has backed Mr Morrison having a vacation. The bulk of the criticism … has been on Twitter. “Everybody deserves a holiday,” the Acting PM (Michael McCormack) told reporters.

Associate editor Brad Norington, The Australian, Wednesday:

Climate activist Tim Flannery is the force behind a band of former state fire chiefs accusing Scott Morrison of abandoning bushfires and demanding an immediate end to the burning of fossil fuels … Mr Mullins blasted Canberra for a “leadership vacuum” on bushfires … he said were linked to climate change. He said the Morrison government had offered “no moral leadership” by opposing tougher carbon emissions standards (in Madrid).