I am deeply embarrassed to be part of the Botany electorate right now. Jami-Lee Ross MP of the Botany electorate criticized Russell Norman for speaking out about climate change, while other parties expressed their sympathies towards the Filipino people after the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. Jami-Lee said:
“The Greens and Russel Norman are a disgrace. Using thousands of lost lives in a disaster to make self-centred political points. #losers.”
First of all he hashtagged losers! What are you…12?
Last time I checked, self-centred was someone who is only concerned with their own wants and needs. Thousands of people here at the UN Climate Change Negotiations in Warsaw are working tirelessly to enhance the view of governments like ours in New Zealand that are slowing down the inevitable – a low carbon green economy.
Jami-Lee Ross also said he’s not going to pass an opinion on climate change.
Are you a dinosaur? Do you still use a Walkman? How do you not think that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions don’t change the physical state of the planet?
While his behaviour is nothing new in the world of political theatrics. Transitioning the world into a low carbon economy is serious business and not about being a greenie. It’s about living in a world that isn’t at risk of more frequent catastrophic weather events, a world where food security is not compromised and we don’t end up stripping the forest to end up with a giant dust bowl. Continued ‘business as usual’ thinking will only heighten the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events.
We don’t use horse and carriage anymore because we found a more efficient mode of transport. The way we live presently is no longer efficient for a world with a growing population and finite resources. Transitioning to a low carbon world is the solution. But the short-term economic priorities of the New Zealand government continue to disrupt process and will bite us all later if we don’t speed this transitional phase up.
By Jacob Anderson
Well said Jake. This is a typical “arm’s length” approach to politically contentious topics by the National party. They get a junior MP to shoot their mouth off and guage the reaction by the populace. Unfortunately, it will only get worse if another centre-right/extreme right government is elected next year. The thought of the Conservative party and possibly Act (though god I hope not) to be in coalition with National should send a shiver down any physical geographer’s spine. Their collective(!) policies will only slow down, if not reverse, any progress New Zealand has made thus far.
One thing that was drummed into us in class was the statistical probability of recurrent severe events; the dreaded 1 in 100 year catastrophes. Well, that statistic will be out the window since the current 1 in 100 events will soon have a return of 1 in 10 years. This should have all the Nats in a flat spin because one of their sizeable vote demographs, i.e. the farmers, will be the ones to suffer the brunt of the catastrophies. I would love to see the long-term strategies in place for the degradation of hillside pastures due to headward incision by drainage errosion. This could spell doom for an any livestock/dairy producer…an industry already precariously placed at the mercy of nature’s whims.
As you quite rightly say, Jami-Lee Ross’s opinion piece on Russel Norman’s statement shows the true promoter of self-centred politics. Time is running out on this subject before we reach the point of no return. Let’s hope people of our country will finally snap out of this “I’m alright Jack”, selfish attitude. Maybe, finally, a bit of forward thinking will triumf over the greed of a short-term tax cut in favour of sparing a thought for the generations to come who have the odious task of cleaning up our mess.
In an idealistic world,”” living and being influenced by idealists ‘ ,must be heaven, But you know ,and it does happen , You mature and start to absorb . And then. and only then, do you have the opportunity TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE FACTS…