From Watts Up With That?
Essay by Eric Worrall
Peta Pinson, Mayor of Port Macquarie Hastings region. Source council website, fair use, low resolution image to identify the subject.
Ever since former conservative Aussie PM Tony Abbott announced “I am a climate skeptic” at CPAC 2022, there has been indications climate belief might not be rock solid amongst other politicians.
‘Clumsy joke’: NSW Liberal candidate for Swansea filmed saying ‘I don’t believe in climate change’
Exclusive: Labor calls for Coalition to ‘guarantee’ candidates support climate action after Megan Anderson’s remark
Tamsin Rose
Tue 14 Mar 2023 01.00 AEDT
Last modified on Tue 14 Mar 2023 11.15 AEDTThe New South Wales Liberal party’s candidate for Swansea, Megan Anderson, has downplayed a comment she made denying climate change last week, calling it a “clumsy joke”.
With the state election less that two weeks away, Guardian Australia has seen footage from a community event about the Hunter offshore windfarms in which Anderson can be heard remarking to a person beside her, “I don’t believe in climate change”.
When contacted by Guardian Australia about the comment, she said it was not a declaration of her beliefs.
“I made a clumsy joke in response to the previous speaker, but that was not a declaration of my beliefs,” Anderson said.
“I understand that our climate is changing and the NSW government has great policies that preserve our environment for future generations, which I support.”
The comments come after it was revealed Nationals candidate for Port Macquarie, local mayor Peta Pinson, told a meeting her scepticism about climate science had “solidified” after reading a paper. She is running in one of just two seats being contested by both a Liberal and National candidate.
Good on Peta Pinson for being straightforward about your beliefs.
We like Peta Pinson at WUWT. Peta has been consistently climate skeptic, she featured in 2022, after she revoked the Port Macquarie Climate Emergency, declaring it was a “misuse of council resources”. Port Macquarie is one of my favourite places to stop when driving the NSW coast road, well run, lots of shops, clean streets. So please consider voting for Peta, if you live in Port Macquarie.
As for you Megan Anderson, maybe it’s time you stop joking. I mean, what have you got to lose? You are running for a seat which conventional wisdom declares is unwinnable. Your only chance of challenging this pessimism is to impress your voters with your honesty and willingness to stand on principle, to be their candidate rather than just another faceless cog in the party machine.