Inglorious days as Greens ratchet up the climate hyperbole

Dodging the question, David Crowe, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday:

Greens leader Richard Di Natale has sidestepped questions about whether the major parties are “no better than arsonists” after fierce criticism of one of his colleagues for escalating the political attacks over bushfires and climate change … Greens senator Jordon Steele-John provoked his opponents by saying they were “no better than a bunch of arsonists”.

Liberal MP Craig Kelly, Sky News, Wednesday:

We see the best of firefighters putting their lives on the frontline to stop those fires, and we see the worse when we see the Greens politicians exploiting this tragedy to pump up their cult, by saying things that are completely untrue, against the science and just trying to recruit more members.

Hippie wisdom, Miranda Devine, The Daily Telegraph, Wednesday: 

Even a hippie in Nimbin knows that greenies are to blame for the power and intensity of NSW’s latest bout of tragic bushfires. “The Greens have to cop it on the head — they have been obsessed with no fires and no burning,” Michael Balderstone told The Australian as bushfires engulfed the north coast. Wiser words have never been spoken in that Northern Rivers town. Yet Greens leader Richard Di Natale and Melbourne MP Adam Bandt still insist that the culprit is climate change.

Barnaby misrepresented? Charis Chang, news.com.au, Tuesday:

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce says he was misrepresented over his comments that suggested two people who died in bushfires were “most likely people who voted for the Greens”. Joyce has been slammed for the “vile” remarks made on Sky News … “What I wanted to concentrate on is the policies that we can mitigate these tragedies happening again in the future. That’s where I’m going to focus.”

Barnaby wrong, Campbell Gellie, The Daily Telegraph, Friday:

Barnaby Joyce was wrong when he controversially claimed the two Wy­taliba commune residents killed in Friday’s horror bushfire “most likely” voted for the Greens. Wytaliba residents have revealed nudist ­George Nole and Vivian Chaplain, who died in the fire, didn’t vote Greens. “George didn’t vote for the Greens, he voted for the Sex Party,” Wytaliba resident Brett Miller said.

Di Natale, Twitter, Tuesday:

How low can you go @Barnaby_Joyce? Why does it matter who the victims of this terrible fire voted for? Stop trying to shift blame and distract from your government’s failures to address the climate crisis.

Greg Brown and Andrew Clennell, The Australian, Tuesday:

As firefighters braced for the arrival of high winds and low humidity that threaten some of the worst conditions seen since the Black Saturday bushfires a decade ago, Greens leader Richard Di Natale sparked fury from both major parties when he said the nation’s emissions policy had caused the fires that killed three people and injured 100 … Di Natale sparked the row when he said: “Every politician, lobbyist, pundit and journalist who has fought to block action on climate change bears responsibility.”

Crowe, the Herald, Wednesday:

Scott Morrison has demanded an end to the bickering over bushfires and climate change after a dramatic escalation in the political attacks.

Editorial, The Australian, Monday:

Greens MP Adam Bandt has no need to battle bushfires in his downtown Melbourne electorate, but that is not the reason he should shut up until the crisis is over. He should do so out of basic human decency. People grieving loved ones, the families devastated after the loss of their homes, pets and farm animals, do not need Mr Bandt’s cruel brand of politicking.