By Situation Theatre 23/3/2020

It’s one thing for the most powerful man in the country to disregard expert evidence and advice in matters of life and death, but for ordinary Australians to behave in this way is truly appalling.

During the ancient times, in October 2018, Scott Morrison responded to the UN report stating the world had less than twelve years to shift away from fossil fuels or face total environmental and social breakdown by refusing to spend any money on global climate conferences and “all that sort of nonsense”.

It wasn’t the only time the Morrison Government took a cavalier attitude to expertise and authority. Let’s just take a little sample of their climate policy behaviour from the day of Morrison’s ascension to the Prime Ministership, to the height of the bushfire crisis in January this year.

Appoints Angus Taylor, long-time campaigner against the Renewable Energy Target and a fierce critic of wind energy, as Minister for Energy – 26 August 2018
Appoints Melissa Price, a former general counsel for Crosslands Resources, which owns the Jack Hills iron ore project in Western Australia, as Minister for the Environment – 26 August 2018
Appoints Matt Canavan, who doubts the importance of climate change mitigation and is a strong advocate of Adani’s Carmichael coal mine but dismisses the battery storage facility, the Hornsdale Power Reserve, as the “Kim Kardashian of the energy world”, as Minister for Resources – 26 August 2018
Angus Taylor indicates more taxpayer money for existing coal and gas – 30 August 2018
Revealed that the Marine Park Authority had to scale back surveys in 2017, a year of massive coral bleaching, due to lack of government funds – 2 September 2018
Angus Taylor says there is too much wind and solar in the electricity grid – 5 September 2018
Tries to water down climate change resolution at Pacific Islands forum – 6 September 2018
Union tells Senate inquiry that 87% of members who work in threatened species management in the environment department and other government agencies thought Australia’s effectiveness in protecting critical habitat was poor or very poor – 7 September 2018
Resources Minister Matt Canavan says Paris agreement “doesn’t actually bind us to anything in particular” and doesn’t stop Australia building new coal plants – 7 September 2018
PM says National Energy Guarantee “is dead” – 8 September 2018
Tony Abbott advocates scrapping of renewable energy subsidies – 11 September 2018
Report shows Australia’s transport emissions rose 3.4% from December 2016-December 2017 – 13 September 2018
Angus Taylor announces Morrison government won’t be replacing the renewable energy target “with anything” beyond 2020 – 18 September 2018
Approves private tourism development with helicopter access in Tasmanian world heritage wilderness – 31 August 2018
Morrison says Australia will meet its Paris emissions targets “at a canter” despite no emissions reductions policies and statements from the Energy Security Board to the contrary – 5 September 2018
Australia receives bottom three ranking for environmental policy among wealthy nations – 18 September 2018
Government tells Great Barrier Reef scientists to focus on projects which make the government look good and encourage more corporate donations – 26 September 2018
Releases data showing March quarter increase in emissions of 1.3% on a Friday afternoon, which was a public holiday in Victoria and the same day as the release of the banking sector royal commission interim report – 28 September 2018
Describes $444m Great Barrier Reef Foundation grant as the “right financial decision” – 1 October 2018.
Data reveals 770,000 hectares (three times the size of the ACT) of forests in the Great Barrier Reef catchment zone have been cleared since Tony Abbott was elected in 2013 – 4 October 2018.
Senate inquiry into threatened species told Australia’s environment laws have been “white-anted with loopholes” and hears of “massive and pervasive non-compliance with legislation” – 8 October 2018
PM rules out providing more money for global climate conferences and “all that sort of nonsense”– 8 October 2018
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says Australia should “absolutely use and exploit its coal reserves” despite IPCC warnings of climate catastrophe and says Australia wouldn’t change climate policy because of “some sort of report” – 9 October 2018
Matt Canavan responds to the IPCC calls for phasing out coal by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change by saying “many argue that coal markets are in structural decline when nothing could be further from the truth” and “our coal is the envy of the world and we should promote it proudly” – 9 October 2018
Melissa Price responds to the IPCC report by saying “every year there’s new technology with respect to coal and what it contributes to emissions. So I think to say it’s got to be phased out by 2050 is drawing a very long bow” - 9 October 2018
Angus Taylor says the government would “not be distracted from our goal of lowering power prices for Australian households and small business” and “coal will continue to play a vital role in our energy mix, now and into the future” – 10 October 2018
Former Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg responded to the grave IPCC warnings with “If we take coal out of our energy system, the lights will go out on the East Coast of Australia” – 9 October 2018
Chairman of Coalition’s backbench energy committee Craig Kelly says the government needs to axe renewable energy subsidies – 16 October 2018
Melissa Price reported to have told the former president of Kiribati at a dinner in Canberra ““I know why you are here, it’s for the cash. For the Pacific, it’s always about the cash. I have my cheque book here, how much do you want?” then accused of misleading Parliament over it – 17 October 2018
Murray-Darling Basin Authority, reporting to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, “accused of maladministration, deliberately ignoring the best science on the river, leaning on the CSIRO to alter reports on the adequacy of the basin plan and ignoring the impact of climate change in its future planning” - 30 October 2018
Liberal MP Craig Kelly says fossil fuels make us safe from the “exaggerated” threats of climate change - 9 November 2018
Government strongly criticised by business groups for plans to underwrite coal-fired power - 16 November 2018
PM condemns students striking for climate action, tells them to be “less activist” - 26 November 2018
Resources Minister Matt Canavan says striking school students will end up on the dole - 30 November 2018
Australia’s emissions growing at fastest rate since 2004 - 30 November 2018
Australia named as one of the worst environmental performers on the global stage due to the absence of biodiversity measures in our climate commitments - 30 November 2018
Australian Conservation Foundation takes government to court for failing to undertake a full environmental assessment of the water impacts of Adani - 4 December 2018
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk condemns the Federal Government for blaming Queensland bushfires on tighter land clearing laws - 7 December 2018
Australia’s silence during climate debate at COP24 seen as offer of tacit support to oil allies who blocked progress - US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait - 10 December 2018
Australia is the only nation to join US at pro-coal event at COP24 - 11 December 2018
Signals taxpayer support for new and existing coal projects -13 December 2018
Refuses calls of allies to increase climate commitments at COP24 - 13 December 2018
Australia’s emissions now the highest on record - 13 December 2018
According to the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Federal Government cut environmental spending by 9.7% from 2013-2017 - 17 December 2018
The Government’s own projections show them missing our Paris targets by a “vast margin”, despite Morrison’s repeated insistence that we would meet them “in a canter” - 21 December 2018
Murray Darling Basin Authority, in conjunction with the NSW Liberal Government, found responsible for deaths of up to 1 million fish at Menindee Lakes - 19 January 2019
OECD criticises Australia for being off track on emissions targets, “poor and worsening biodiversity”, and a failing national threatened species strategy - 30 January 2019
During a summer of fish kills, floods, fires, and record temperatures, Environment Minister Melissa Price is missing in action. Three of Australia’s biggest environment groups say they’ve been unable to get a meeting with her since her appointment in August 2018 - 16 February 2019
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority approves dumping of one million tonnes of spoil in the park - 20 February 2019
Australia named the only country in the world to use climate funding to upgrade coal-fired plants - 1 March 2019
Energy Minister Angus Taylor falsely claims emissions are falling - 3 March 2019
PM criticises plans by WA environment watchdog for measures to curb emissions as “unworkable”. Analysts describe them as practical and cost-effective - 8 March 2019
Carbon emissions reach another record high - 14 March 2019
Former Liberal adviser appointed head of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority - 15 March 2019
Despite highest rate of mammal extinction in the world, the Environment Department doesn’t know whether recovery plans are being implemented - 21 March 2019
Environment Minister Melissa Price asked for a review of how climate policy could be used to upgrade existing coal stations after being lobbied by an energy company - 2 April 2019
Great Barrier Reef suffers 89% reduction in new coral after bleaching of 2016 and 2017 - 4 April 2019
Coalition approves Adani groundwater plan after severe internal pressure from Queensland MPs - 9 April 2019
Former fire chiefs warn Australia unprepared for escalating climate threat - 10 April 2019
PM claims Bill Shorten wants to “end the weekend” with his electric car policy, a policy which is only marginally more progressive than that of the Coalition - 16 April 2019
Revealed that the government bought overpriced, unreliable water, without a tender process, from a company domiciled in a tax haven, who counted Energy Minister Angus Taylor among its early directors - 22 April 2019
Exposed that Adani water approvals were given despite knowing risks that the project would breach environmental approvals and draw too much water from ancient springs - 18 April 2019
Coalition criticised for approving uranium mine one day before the election was called and despite native species risk - 26 April 2019
Multinational uranium miner convinced Government to drop requirement showing their mine would not cause species extinctions - 27 April 2019
Coalition climate policy is rated 4/100 by the Australian Conservation Foundation - 29 April 2019
Liberal MP John Alexander says Australia should “help Fijians move to higher ground” rather than limit coal - 3 May 2019
Coalition relies on modelling of the costs of Labor’s climate policy which is shown to be “ridiculous” - 6 May 2019
Tony Abbott makes a $100 bet with a constituent that the climate will not change in 10 years - 7 May 2019
Greenpeace releases a report and documentary called Dirty Power. They show Big Coal’s network of influence over the Coalition Government - 8 May 2019
PM responds to UN report on the capitalist threat to one million species facing extinction by criticising the expansion of environmental regulations he derides as “green tape” - 9 May 2019
Despite the seriousness of the UN report, the Environment Minister is still missing - 11 May 2019
A group of Torres Strait Islanders lodge a complaint with the UN human rights committee against the Australian government for climate inaction - 13 May 2019
PM claims the coalition “saved” the Great Barrier Reef. This claim is dismissed as “ridiculous” by scientists, environmental groups, and the Queensland Government - 13 May 2019
Emails reveal the CSIRO was pressured to approve the Adani groundwater plan within a single afternoon - 14 May 2019
Analysis finds the Coalition’s climate policy has allowed heavy industry emissions to increase by close to one third - 16 May 2019
‘Disgrace’: Angus Taylor under pressure after failing to release emissions data - 3 June 2019
Australia won’t reach Paris target without action on transport, LNG, and coal, expert says - 2 July 2019
Deputy PM accused of disputing evidence of global heating - 19 July 2019
Coalition’s emissions reduction fund labelled a ‘joke’ after first post-election auction - 2 August 2019
Australia’s Kyoto loophole eight times larger than entire Pacific emissions - 14 August 2019
Australia removes climate ‘crisis’ from Pacific islands draft declaration - 15 August 2019
:Pacific islands will survive climate crisis because they ‘pick our fruit’, Australia’s deputy PM says - 16 August 2019
Australia is third largest exporter of fossil fuels behind Russia and Saudi Arabia - 19 August 2019
‘Bunch of bedwetters’: Matt Canavan attacks Aurecon for cutting ties with Adani - 22 August 2019
Australia’s carbon emissions rise again, largely thanks to LNG industry - 30 August 2019
Australian natural disasters minister David Littleproud: “I don’t know if climate change is manmade” - 10 September 2019
Scott Morrison won’t attend UN climate summit despite being in the US - 12 September 2019
Australian PM says China must step up on climate change as ‘newly developed’ nation - 24 September 2019
Scott Morrison ducks questions on Australia’s emissions strategy for 2050 - 24 September 2019
Australian government seen globally as climate ‘denialist’, UN summit observers say - 25 September 2019
Morrison responds to Greta Thunberg by warning children against ‘needless’ climate anxiety - 25 September 2019
Josh Frydenberg refuses request for RBA deputy to speak on climate change - 10 October 2019
Josh Frydenberg rejects IMF report that Australia will fail to meet Paris target - 11 October 2019
Scott Morrison points finger at UN for pursuing ‘negative globalism’ - 14 October 2019
Australia is the only country using carryover climate credits, officials admit - 22 October 2019
Australia hopes to expand coal exports in south-east Asia ‘delusional, expert says - 23 October 2019
Scott Morrison threatens crackdown on protesters who would ‘deny liberty’ - 1 November 2019
Australia’s climate response among the worst int he G20, report finds - 11 November 2019
NSW Bushfires: Scott Morrison criticised for “Thoughts and Prayers” - 11 November 2019
Greens policies increasing bushfire threat, Joyce says - 11 November 2019
“Win for lobbyists”: number of sponsored passes for Parilament doubles in seven years - 12 November 2019
Coalition inaction on climate change and health is risking Australian lives, global report finds - 14 November 2019
Former Australian fire chiefs say Coalition ignored their advice because of climate change politics - 14 November 2019
ACT warns Angus Taylor against division and deal-making at key Coag energy meeting - 19 November 2019
Scott Morrison signals environmental overhaul and ‘fresh look’ at industrial relations - 20 November 2019
Scott Morrison says no evidence links Australia’s carbon emissions to bushfires - 21 November 2019
Former fire chiefs meet with ministers, but not PM, on climate concerns - 3 December 2019
Coalition claims it will meet 2030 emissions target - but only by using accounting loophole - 7 December 2019
About 100 countries at UN climate talks challenge Australia’s use of carryover credits - 9 December 2019
Scott Morrison rejects calls for more bushfire help, saying volunteer firefighters “want to be there” - 10 December 2019
Australia ranked worst of 57 countries on climate change policy - 11 December 2019
Morrison finally responds to Sydney smoke crisis by announcing religious discrimination bill - 10 December 2019
Australia’s use of accounting loophole to meet Paris loophole found to have no legal basis - 12 December 2019
Morrison responds to fears over bushfires but rejects censure of climate policy - 12 December 2019
UN climate talks: Australia accused of “cheating” and thwarting global deal - 16 December 2019
Mystery sounds Scott Morrison as his takes a holiday - 16 December 2019
“Hugely disappointed” emergency chiefs to hold summit with or without PM - 17 December 2019
“Not moving fast enough”: former head of Scott Morrison’s department criticises climate change policies - 19 December 2019
McCormack concedes Australia must do more to fight climate crisis - but links fires to “self-combusting manure” - 21 December 2019
Scott Morrison says Hawaii holiday was like taking “that extra plumbing contract on a Friday afternoon - 23 December 2019
Morrison government to underwrite two new gas power stations, refuses to rule out new coal-fired generation - 23 December 2019
Home affairs warned Australian government of growing climate disaster risk after May election - 24 December 2019
PM Scott Morrison defends climate policies and asks Australians to be “patient” over fires - 2 January 2020
Scott Morrison brushes off angry bushfire reception, saying he doesn’t take it personally - 3 January 2020
“He turned his back on me”: Cobargo woman forced to shake PM’s hand lost everything in fires - 3 January 2020
Scott Morrison says video ad on ADF deployment is not political but “carries his message to Australians” - 5 January 2020
RFS commissioner not told of Scott Morrison’s call-up of ADF reserve - 5 January 2020
Climate change and bushfires: Craig Kelly doubles down on denial - 7 January 2020
Scott Morrison is thankful that no one died in a fire in which two people died - 9 January 2020

All this is not to mention the previous five years of conservative government which was equally dismissive, and is catalogued here.

Still, where on Earth Aussies get the idea that it’s ok to dismiss expertise and authority is anybody’s guess.

Gee, do you suppose all those years of politicians and pundits rubbishing climate models and expertise bears any relationship to the public response to this crisis?
— Jeff Sparrow (@Jeff_Sparrow) March 22, 2020

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