Aussie Academic: “we need to drive the [Climate] Dismissive group out of positions of power”

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Guest essay by Eric Worrall

Rebecca Huntley, a prominent Aussie academic, is concerned voters choose politicians with inadequate climate policies. Her solution is for people who dismiss the urgency of the alleged climate crisis to be driven from positions of power, and prevented from making donations to political parties.

Climate change splits the public into six groups. Understanding them is key to future action

ABC Radio National By Rebecca Huntley for Big Ideas

Updated Wed at 10:14am

In Australia there is now widespread public acceptance of the reality of climate change; we seem to see its effects almost hourly.

But the electorate still votes for political parties with environment policies that I would call recalcitrant, and with significant groups of climate deniers in their ranks.

We need to increase the Alarmed cohort, absolutely no doubt.

But we also need to develop and hone their skills of talking to others not of the same mindset.

And we need to provide social and emotional support as many of them ā€” many of us ā€” struggle with feelings of grief, dread and burning anger about what’s happening to the planet and the response of many of our political leaders.

We need to shift more of the Concerned group into the Alarmed group.

We need to find a way to convince the Cautious that urgent action is necessary.

This, very difficultly, often requires language that isn’t fraught with tones of crisis. More on this in a moment.

We need to engage the Disengaged ā€” probably the hardest task of all, because it requires us to rebuild their faith that our democratic institutions are capable and willing to do something about it.

And finally ā€” in my opinion, and I say this with no trepidation whatsoever ā€” we need to drive the Dismissive group out of positions of power in our government, stop the flow of their donations into our political parties, and find smarter ways to engage with them in the media, including social media.

This will then expose those who dismiss both the science and the solutions, the denialists ā€” who are today a minority, albeit a powerful one ā€” as what they are: out of step with the rest of us, determined to put our collective wellbeing and our way of life at risk.

We must not let their voices be the loudest in the public arena.

Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-29/climate-change-global-warming-six-groups-rebecca-huntley/11893384

Rebecca is advocating that a group she doesn’t like, “climate dismissives”, be excluded from full participation in the democratic process, by “stopping the flow of their donations to political parties”, and by “driving the dismissive group out” of power. Her justification for these extreme views is the alleged urgency of the climate crisis.

There is a name for this brand of political ideology, and it isn’t a nice one.

Rebecca Huntley (born 1972) is an Australian social researcher and expert on social trends. She is an author and researcher with degrees in law, a first class degree in film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies. She has been a regular columnist for Business Weekly Review, a feature writer for Vogue and a radio presenter for ABC’s RN. She regularly features on radio and TV.

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Adam
January 30, 2020 6:13 pm

Why is it that the alarmists (almost always also leftists) are always demanding that we skeptics be ostracized, disenfranchised, banned, or worse? We would never even think to do such things to them.

MarkW
Reply to  Adam
January 30, 2020 6:34 pm

It’s precisely because they are leftists. Leftists view those who oppose them not as wrong, but as evil, and evil must be destroyed.

Komrade Kuma
Reply to  MarkW
January 30, 2020 10:18 pm

The essence of Marxism/Communism is not the community benefit rather it is the aggregation of power to the ‘elite’, the party members and particularly those elected to positions of power in the party and the compliant administration. It is assumed that from such an arrangement community benefit will automatically follow or should I say automatonically accordingto the programming.

Re the person in question, “She is an author and researcher with degrees in law, a first class degree in film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies”. Hmm, clearly an ‘expert’ in climate science then by official edict./sarc. What an arrogant, fascist imbecile.

mikee
Reply to  Komrade Kuma
January 31, 2020 1:12 am

Wow, just another humpty dumpty PhD. Lenin would classify this imbecile as a useful idiot.

Reply to  mikee
January 31, 2020 6:50 am

You are so very right… The gentlemen who keep talking about Ā«leftistsĀ» are just showing their abysmal ignorance of Ideology, Political History and Ā«what have youĀ»… Rather than stick to Science and empirical evidence of Climate variations, they seem to need some kind of a Ā«boogymanĀ» of sorts.

MarkW
Reply to  mikee
January 31, 2020 8:36 am

Paying attention to facts, is now ignoring science?

Reply to  Komrade Kuma
January 31, 2020 6:53 am

Have you ever heard of Communist China and the hundreds of millions of poor people that were Ā«raised from povertyĀ» over a period of 3 decades?…

MarkW
Reply to  Guilherme da Fonseca-Statter
January 31, 2020 8:35 am

Nobody was lifted out of poverty until China started adopting capitalism.
Communism pushes people into poverty, it doesn’t lift them out of it.

Tiger Bee Fly
Reply to  Guilherme da Fonseca-Statter
January 31, 2020 12:22 pm

Maybe this is a joke. If it is, it’s not funny. Back to history class, dumbass!

niceguy
Reply to  Komrade Kuma
February 2, 2020 3:03 am

“ā€œShe is an author and researcher with degrees in law, a first class degree in film studies”…

Are there first, second and third class degrees in “film studies”?
lol

J Mac
Reply to  Adam
January 30, 2020 7:06 pm

Brown shirt fascists are the enforcement cadre of the green socialist elite.
“We know what is good for you and we will punish you until you agree! Because We Are Saving The Planet.”

Streetcred
Reply to  Adam
January 30, 2020 7:28 pm

It’s the fascist in them.

Reply to  Adam
January 31, 2020 2:24 am

I suspect it may be because they know, deep down, that there is no objective case for alarmism. They can’t beat us skeptics by rational argument, so they want to silence us.

amirlach
Reply to  Adam
January 31, 2020 3:58 pm

We should start. Why do we tolerate those in denial of the data facts to teach children their failed doctrine?

January 30, 2020 6:14 pm

“Aussie Academic: ā€œwe need to drive the [Climate] Dismissive group out of positions of power”

Or come up with the answers to their questions maybe.

Mr.
Reply to  chaamjamal
January 30, 2020 6:28 pm

To ask a question – any question – automatically makes you a DEN1AL1ST.

(pro tip – don’t hang around waiting for a considered answer)

Andy Espersen
Reply to  chaamjamal
January 30, 2020 6:49 pm

Exactly who does Rebecca Huntley, this “expert in social trends”, think “we” are?? Are we the government? Are we the academics? Are we perhaps society as a whole? (though you cannot pinpoint such beast). Are we the news agencies. Are we the children? (viz. Saint Greta).

Please be specific, Rebecca Huntley.

January 30, 2020 6:21 pm

All too easy to throw an insult or several Rebecca’s way – but I’d hazard a guess that she might well be somebody who identifies as being on the left of the political spectrum and she probably agrees with that other Aussie harpy / scold / harridan Dr Helen Caldicott.

– and they are both well out of their depth

Rebecca in action

a happy little debunker
January 30, 2020 6:22 pm

“Listen, and understand.
That Climate Catastropharians are ā€˜out thereā€™.
They canā€™t be bargained with.
They canā€™t be reasoned with.
They donā€™t feel pity, or remorse, or fear.
And they absolutely will not stop, ever, until you acquiesce in silence.”

Kyle Reece, 1984

Patrick MJD
Reply to  a happy little debunker
January 30, 2020 7:50 pm

She’ll be back!

Bryan A
Reply to  Patrick MJD
January 31, 2020 10:03 am

What did Johann Sebastian say to God prior to coming to the Earthly Realm?

I’ll be Bach

Bryan A
Reply to  a happy little debunker
January 31, 2020 10:00 am

They certainly do feel and promote perceived fear and impending doom,
Other than that, you got it

Patrick MJD
January 30, 2020 6:29 pm

“…an author and researcher with degrees in law, a first class degree in film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies.”

There you have it. No scientific background what so evah!

n.n
Reply to  Patrick MJD
January 30, 2020 6:55 pm

She likes to produce motion pictures and study masculine and feminine physical and mental attributes (“gender”).

RobbertBobbert
Reply to  Patrick MJD
January 30, 2020 8:34 pm

Patrick
A real woman of the people this one…
Went to Sydney Girls High which only takes the cream of the State primary students as part of its selective admission program…a Private School masquerading as a State School…

That crucial Film thesis centred around the… un-banning of Pier Paolo Pasoliniā€™s controversial film Salo….deep and meaningful… and I respect Pasolini for his promotion of young nubile females in European cinema who all just seemed to prefer going around semi naked most of the time….but artistically so of course

…she worked with several federal politicians in the ALP, acting as an active member of the National Committee of EMILYā€™s List Australia and the ALPā€™s federal policy committee… Dr Huntley is a committed republican and worked for the YES campaign during the 1999 Australian republic referendum…She is also on the board of The Whitlam Institute

She was a member of the UNSW Arts and Social Sciences Advisory Committee. In 2016 she was appointed as an adjunct senior lecturer at The School of Social Sciences at UNSW….

Maybe its just me but I reckon it be unlikely that snookums is a fully paid up member of the local Conservative Liberal branch…

Patrick MJD
Reply to  RobbertBobbert
January 30, 2020 11:55 pm

My bet is, with that law “degree”, she will be able to blame everything on white, middle aged, men (WMM). How DARE we make a better work for everyone (Including WMM).

Patrick MJD
Reply to  RobbertBobbert
January 31, 2020 7:27 pm

It’s amazing how the left promote people like this in to positions of influence so very quickly.

Scissor
January 30, 2020 6:31 pm

I bet Rebecca talks about sex all the time too and not in a good way.

Jeff Alberts
Reply to  Scissor
January 30, 2020 8:31 pm

I’ll bet she incorrectly uses the word “gender” instead of the correct word “sex”.

John Endicott
Reply to  Jeff Alberts
January 31, 2020 5:46 am

On the plus side, for all her fascist tendencies, at least she’s not a grammar Nazi. so she’s not all bad /sarc

Jeff Alberts
Reply to  John Endicott
February 6, 2020 6:43 pm

She could be, you don’t know.

MarkW
January 30, 2020 6:31 pm

This is just the theory of practical politics.
If you want to put your policies into practice, you have to drive the other side out of their seats of power so that you can take them over.

However, this just goes to show you that global warming is all about politics. Science is secondary, if that.

Reply to  MarkW
January 30, 2020 6:48 pm

MarkW,
Science departed climate science long ago… circa 1995.

Editor
Reply to  Joel O'Bryan
January 30, 2020 7:41 pm

Joel, I assume the year 1995 pertains to the bureaucrats rewriting the IPCC SAR.

But didn’t climate research that promotes the climate change/global warming scare cease to be scientific when the UN founded the IPCC in the late 1980s to support political agendas?

Regards,
Bob

Loydo
Reply to  Bob Tisdale
January 30, 2020 8:45 pm

Anyone who isn’t alarmed at the rate of AGW has placed ideology above science. The science is clear, most of it is settled. The unsettled questions include: how will continued exponential CO2 rise affect the rate, for how long will warming continue and how warm will it get before it plateaus? If you think questions like these are in any way political, then you are in for an unpleasant surprise.

drednicolson
Reply to  Loydo
January 30, 2020 9:25 pm

The projection is strong with this one.

Jeff Alberts
Reply to  Loydo
January 30, 2020 9:28 pm

Yet you’re still using the fossil-fueled infrastructure to post your inane comment. You obviously aren’t alarmed enough.

Reply to  Loydo
January 30, 2020 10:01 pm

Loydo, it is YOU who is for “unpleasant surprise”, since your programmed propaganda drivel is boring.

Many People in America flock to the warmer areas of the country when they retire, even in Hurricane, Tornado, Florida. They know something you haven’t figured out yet, it is nice to be warm all year long, no snow and freezing temperatures to worry about…..

Your consensus/authority fallacies makes clear you have nothing intelligent or rational to offer to people who have Science, Engineering degrees, they don’t take gnats like you seriously, since your shallow and often ignorant babble are not worth reading.

Here is a published science paper for you to learn about how warm the Climatic Optimism was:

A new reconstruction (Martin et al., 2020) shows peak mean annual temperatures (14Ā°C) were 7Ā°C warmer than today (7Ā°C, 2009-2017) ~7800 years ago in France. In the last 200 years temperatures have fallen by ~3Ā°C.

LINK

Brian J BAKER
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 1:53 am

I am supposed to be alarmed at a temperature rise of ~1degC in 180 – 200 years. Could you please prove in science that this 1 degC is anthropomorphic or even what % is down to humans. Will you acknowledge that your scenarios of RCP8.5 has been withdrawn soon to be followed by RCP 6.0. Your alarmist doctrine is being quietly dropped before your very eyes.

F1nn
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 2:14 am

drednicolson

The *stupidity* is strong with this one.

Loydo is just brainwashed idiot.

Greg Woods
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 3:02 am

If it is too hot for you, then get out of the kitchen…

Editor
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 4:45 am

Loydo, thanks for the laugh. BTW, I’m laughing at you, not with you.

Regards,
Bob

Sparko
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 5:42 am

You have to remember that with people like Loydo, the message isn’t aimed at you, it’s aimed at himself.
Cultists do tend to have to spend a lot of their time shouting their common sense down

MarkW
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 8:40 am

There is nothing unusual about the very mild warming over the last 150 years or so.
If the planet continues to warm at this rate, by the end of the century it might reach levels last enjoyed during the Medieval Warm Period.
200 years after that, the planet might reach levels last enjoyed during the Roman Warm Period.
If we are fortunate enough for this rate of warming to last for 1000 years, we might be able to get back to the average temperature the planet has enjoyed for the most of the last 10,000 years.

Patrick MJD
Reply to  Loydo
January 31, 2020 4:57 pm

“Loydo January 30, 2020 at 8:45 pm

The unsettled questions include: how will continued exponential…”

I think you need to go look up what that word means and apply it to what we know about CO2 concentrations through actual measurements.

Chaswarnertoo
Reply to  Loydo
February 1, 2020 9:15 am

Hi loydo. More word salad from you. CO 2 has little effect on world temperature, possibly none. Is that what you mean by settled?

Matt G
Reply to  Loydo
February 2, 2020 11:01 am

Anyone who isnā€™t alarmed at the rate of AGW has placed ideology above science. The science is clear, most of it is settled.

A rise of 0.1c-0.2c per decade has never been alarming apart to the ignorant.

The only thing settled is the increased behaviour towards fascism from the left wing/alarmist activists supporting climate change.

Global temperatures have hardly warmed during the past 20 years.

http://www.woodfortrees.org/plot/wti/from:2000

There is no scientific evidence that humans have caused just 0.1c-0.2c per decade warming. They maybe at least a minor contribution from environmental change and data corruption. To disregard any change from natural climate is just ignorant and they probably is a minor CO2 contribution.

To prove this, you and nobody else can provide the conclusive scientific evidence that is required and never have.

n.n
Reply to  MarkW
January 30, 2020 6:57 pm

Science has progressed as the handmaiden of sociopolitical polls of the plausible.

Mohatdebos
January 30, 2020 6:35 pm

I thought Australiaā€™s so-called ā€œclimate changeā€ did not turn out well for the alarmists.

January 30, 2020 6:47 pm

Rebecca Huntley is clearly an ignoramus. Education does NOT, in her case, equate to any semblance of intelligence. Her’s is nothing much more than emotion-laden, spittle-spewing rants.

MarkW
Reply to  Joel O'Bryan
January 31, 2020 8:42 am

Don’t hold it in, tell us what you really think.

nw sage
January 30, 2020 6:53 pm

Heck of a good idea – just don’t allow the other side to speak. That will solve the problem. Until the tables are turned and the other side is in charge and they don’t allow YOU to speak.
Be very careful what you wish for!

Tom Abbott
January 30, 2020 6:54 pm

From the article: “In Australia there is now widespread public acceptance of the reality of climate change; we seem to see its effects almost hourly.”

This reminds me of the old Red Skelton comedy sketch where the delusional character would imagine birds were dive-bombing his head, and he would duck his head, and he would point with his finger and exclaim, “There goes another one!”

I can’t remember the character’s name off the top of my head šŸ™‚ He saw nonexistent birds, just like the author of this article sees nonexistent human-caused climate change almost hourly. “There’s another one!”

RobbertBobbert
Reply to  Tom Abbott
January 30, 2020 9:32 pm

Tom
My Dad was a Red Skelton fan and I recall from long ago a character called Crazy Guggenheim plated by Frank Fontaine that may have appeared on the show or a Skelton version of that ‘Crazy” Guggenheim character.

Tom Abbott
Reply to  RobbertBobbert
January 31, 2020 4:28 am

I think it may have been “Crazy Guggenheim”.

There’s a channel on Dish Network that shows old Red Skelton tv programs.

“There goes a flock of them!”

January 30, 2020 7:02 pm

It was ideas, emotions and urges like those of Rebecca Huntley that enabled the Nazis to rise to power and capture a Nation that in a previous Century had been a bastion of education and rational thought. These people are always with us waiting for the opportunity to erupt and destroy civilisation like a relentless virus.

Chris Hanley
January 30, 2020 7:06 pm

“… we seem to see its effects almost hourly … knowing what we know about human beings … not that we have much time to spare … we should not assume that as … … the language we need to use to convince people to take action … we need to increase the Alarmed cohort, absolutely no doubt … we also need to develop and hone their skills of talking to others not of the same mindset … we need to provide social and emotional support as many of them … “.
On and on she goes, by my count there are ~50 ‘we’s in the article but at no point does Dr Huntley define who she writes on behalf of.
‘Nosism, from the Latin nos, “we”, is the practice of using the pronoun “we” to refer to oneself when expressing a personal opinion’ (Wiki), it is a favorite tactic of the opinionated self-important ‘pain in the ass’.

ozspeaksup
Reply to  Chris Hanley
January 31, 2020 4:07 am

listen to the podcast of it if you can bear to
it was played twice yesterdy on abc rn
and didnt do my temper any good on a 45.1c day
stinker again today and now soaking rains;-)) just before the tanks ran dry
and snow forecast for tasmania in a couple of days after 40c down there

try n find an average or normal for that!

Christopher Hanley
January 30, 2020 7:10 pm

“… we seem to see its effects almost hourly … not that we have much time to spare … we should not assume that as climate change becomes worse, these divisions will start to heal … the language we need to use to convince people to take action … we need to increase the alarmed cohort … we also need to develop and hone their skills of talking to others not of the same mindset … we need to provide social and emotional support as many of them …”.
On and on it goes, by my count there are ~50 ‘we’s in the article but at no point does Dr Huntley define who she writes on behalf of.
‘Nosism, from the Latin nos, “we”, is the practice of using the pronoun “we” to refer to oneself when expressing a personal opinion’ (Wiki), it is a favourite tactic of the opinionated self-important ‘pain in the a$$’.

Kneel
January 30, 2020 7:11 pm

ā€œIn Australia there is now widespread public acceptance of the reality of climate change..”

Yeah – that’s why we’ve had two(2) “Climate Change” elections and the alarmists lost both.
Denial alright, just not where you think it is!

Clay Sanborn
January 30, 2020 7:13 pm

Remember now, it was Global Warming, not Climate Change, that is the supposed problem. Let’s not let the Left keep changing the narrative; and the goalposts.

Patrick MJD
Reply to  Clay Sanborn
January 30, 2020 7:48 pm

I thought it was global heating now?

MarkW
Reply to  Patrick MJD
January 31, 2020 8:44 am

Didn’t they try out Global Weirding, last year?

Chaswarnertoo
Reply to  MarkW
February 1, 2020 9:18 am

Climate catastrophe seems to be the latest one. I suppose an ice age would be a catastrophe but I’d love a Roman warm period and so would the crops.

Jeff Alberts
Reply to  Chaswarnertoo
February 6, 2020 6:45 pm

They should just say DOOM. Makes it easy on everyone.

Mike Lowe
January 30, 2020 7:16 pm

She obviously does not realise that there are very few skeptics in positions of power. We need more, not less. Or does she not think that both sides should be heard?

Craig from Oz
January 30, 2020 7:24 pm

Rebecca writes:

“In Australia there is now widespread public acceptance of the reality of climate change; we seem to see its effects almost hourly.”

Really? And they call ‘our side’ Denialist?

If, dearest Rebecca, this spread is as wide as you claim, then why do you even need to write articles like this. Clearly if your claims are correct then a significant and dominant percentage of Australians would be taking this ‘acceptance of the reality’ and working in lock step and/or snazzy uniforms to ensure Australia has no freedom beyond Climate Freedom.

Except, by both your own argument and the hard proof of the recent ‘Climate Election’ they don’t.

I put it to you, dearest Rebecca, that the public HAVE accepted the reality of climate change and accepted that the reality is it is not the end of the world. The winters are still cold. The summers still hot and the sea level on the beach is the same height as when we were kids. Climate Change is just a thing that happens. Pointless raises to the cost of living however is something to push back against.

Maybe you should go back to editing your own WikiPee pages and leave the rational discussion to people who don’t contradict their own opening statements.

MarkW
Reply to  Craig from Oz
January 30, 2020 8:48 pm

She can see the affects of climate change. Just like Saint Greta can see CO2.

aussiecol
Reply to  Craig from Oz
January 31, 2020 2:03 am

”Except, by both your own argument and the hard proof of the recent ā€˜Climate Electionā€™ they donā€™t.”

That’s right Craig, just like the Greens can never muster more than 20% of the electorate.
Maybe she gets her opinions (hard proof) from twitter. After all out of a population of 25 million there is only an estimated 3 million twitterers in Australia. And most of those would be latte sipping urban elites. But that’s wide spread public acceptance right?

LdB
Reply to  aussiecol
January 31, 2020 6:30 am

Not 20% try 10% there is 5% with one nation and that is the major blocks out side Lib/Nat/Labor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Greens

The details in the support base tells you probably everything you need to know about why they have hit the wall.

Patrick MJD
January 30, 2020 7:26 pm

There is huge pressure on state Permiers and the federal PM to take action on climate change, invest more in renewables and finish coal off for good. No sure how any one has manged to show that will stop bushfires, but talk is cheap.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-government-backs-new-renewable-energy-projects-20200130-p53w6u.html

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-government-strikes-major-energy-deal-with-nsw-20200130-p53wak.html

Renewables to the rescue!!!

https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/east-coast-heatwave-threatens-national-power-grid-20200130-p53waj.html

I am glad it is Friday.

ozspeaksup
Reply to  Patrick MJD
January 31, 2020 4:12 am

latest is to add 20% hydrogen to our mains gas supplies
how?
well using all the solar and wind thats stuffing the system around they reckon
they DID admit it takes a lot of energy to make hydrogen at least

and hydrogen fuel cells for cars
chap reckons theyre supersafe
but thats the tanks testing NOT the lines and connectors to the engine

Streetcred
January 30, 2020 7:27 pm

” researcher with degrees in law, a first class degree in film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies”

Well I suppose that qualifies her to be fascist #1 … and demonstrates that she is a red socialist. Maybe Venezuela would be to her liking or maybe it’s too mild for her ?

Meglort
Reply to  Streetcred
January 30, 2020 11:20 pm

Yep, and she wouldn’t know science if it rooted her left ear.

Just a muppet with a bit of sociology and an uneducated opinion.
ABC Journo in other words.

Terry Brady
January 30, 2020 7:28 pm

“PhD in Gender Studies….” What the **** is that ? Must have taken all of 2 minutes to write the thesis .

Abstract
There are two

Section 1
There are two

Conclusion
There are two

jono1066
Reply to  Terry Brady
January 31, 2020 4:56 am

my wife,
her working life,
a wonderful happy midwife
never had an hermafrodiet

2 should be changed to 3 (ignoring trisomy)

Jeff Alberts
Reply to  Terry Brady
February 6, 2020 6:46 pm

“There are two”

There are two sexes. Gender is behavior, so there’s really no limit.

snikdad
January 30, 2020 7:50 pm

Inside the science-free mind of a climate zealot describing her tipping point: ‘This transformative moment, the moment I tipped from concerned to genuinely alarmed, didn’t happen because I read an ICCP (sic) report or sat through a presentation from a climate scientist about CO2 levels.’
It was kids nicking off school.

January 30, 2020 7:51 pm

“…the reality of climate change; we seem to see its effects almost hourly.”

Amazing how she can ‘see’ the average of 30 years of weather.

Much like Greta can ‘see’ CO2.

January 30, 2020 8:06 pm

So, some education in “Law”, “Gender Studies” and “film studies” and therefore eminently qualified to lecture on the issue of “climate change”. I have no qualifications in any of those disciplines, but I do have an opinion on the subject of “climate change” but my opinion, being what some might term a “denier” she believes is invalid. I certainly believe in climate change, because there is ample evidence of ice ages, warm periods etc. If anyone wants to disagree with my opinion, good on them.

Ian Coleman
January 30, 2020 8:21 pm

“And what is your argument, ma’am? ”

“If you disagree with me you are to be denied a forum.”

“Touche. ”

Manufacturing doubt should be a crime. There is entirely too much doubt already, and it is toxic. People need certainty. Certainty is a public good, like clean air or safe streets, and those who would impair certainty are inflicting harm on society and, in the case of the climate crisis, are endangering the lives of people today, and exposing future generations to the certainty of extinction.

And especially you, Anthony Watts. Did you steal Greta Thunberg’s childhood? Her hopes and dreams for the future? It was you, wasn’t it? You’d better put those hopes and dreams back, pal. We’ll give you two hours, no questions asked, and then we’re calling the cops.

Reply to  Ian Coleman
January 30, 2020 9:48 pm

Lol. Dry. Very dry šŸ™‚

ozspeaksup
Reply to  Ian Coleman
January 31, 2020 4:13 am

she an abc darling
they already allow NO dissent or question

Brian A
January 30, 2020 8:49 pm
John Martin
January 30, 2020 9:00 pm

If she can see the effects of climate change on an hour by hour progression, then she must be really shaken upon waking up from an eight hour sleep. Must be hard to cope with the shock.

AGW is Not Science
Reply to  John Martin
January 31, 2020 6:26 am

LMAO!

January 30, 2020 9:45 pm

we seem to see its effects almost hourly.

Yeah when I think back to the weather 100 years ago I can certainly feel that ~1C change.

Ask her on an average or cold day whether she’s feelin it.

Most people wouldn’t understand climate if it bit them on the face.

Geoff Sherrington
January 30, 2020 10:11 pm

Darned if I know what these climate change bad things are. I will be 80 soon. Nothing accused of being dangerous climate seems other than simply ordinary. Sure, there is some evidence that ambient temperature sensor have warmed less than a degree in my lifetime, but my negligent body lacks the accuracy of a good thermometer and cannot detect this teensie weensie change that freaks out true believers.
These true believers talk about what is projected to happen with climate change and its allegedly associated disasters. Come on, be specific, what is there to fear that was not there 80 years ago?
Bugger all except fear itself, I reckon. Geoff S

n.n
January 30, 2020 10:22 pm

Acolytes for Profits advocating abor… cancel culture. A wicked solution, again.

layor nala
January 30, 2020 10:38 pm

This is what happens when social (science?) studies academics can’t leave their cocoons.

Blame_me
January 30, 2020 10:47 pm

I witnessed this discussion at my place, where this young woman of about 35 said exactly the same thing, that, come next election, they need to educate people how to vote so they stop voting conseevative. At that point I intervened and pointed out that her proposition amounts to brainwashing. You can’t imagine the looks of surprise and indignation on their faces.

BallBounces
January 30, 2020 11:03 pm

I’m trying to figure out if going from being a denier to a denialist is a step up or a step down.

Meglort
January 30, 2020 11:16 pm

Interesting she kind of dabbles in words of conciliation, but clearly she has the only correct view.
Her condescension and rank arrogance just speaks Dunning-Kruger Effect to me.

Next stop, gas chambers she would be promoting for climate deniers I expect.
That is where this kind of thinking ends.

Climate hystericysts like this slag, are the Fourth Reich.

Smoothie
January 30, 2020 11:22 pm

Climate change is accepted by most people as part of the natural ebb and flow of our environment, itā€™s easier to break down the human element into three groups
1. Those that believe based on the emotion
2. Those that disbelieve based on the science
3. Those that sit on one side of the equation or the other based on the facts presented to them

I used to be a 3, but am now a 2
Politics is no longer about who caters to the needs of the ones or twos. But who works with and is honest with the threes.

Itā€™s a fine balance and who is playing the right game?
Scomo, and dare I say it here Tanya, as much as I may despise her is going for gold. Shorten and Albo were never in the game!

Ed Zuiderwijk
January 30, 2020 11:41 pm

Replace ‘the Alarmed’ by ‘the Pure’ and ‘the Dismissive’ by ‘the (whatever minority)’ and you have a speech that J Goebbels would have been proud of.

Ian Coleman
January 30, 2020 11:50 pm

Hello BallBounces. “Denier” is a loaded term meant to stigmatize anyone who so defiant of common decency as to ask for a fair, evidence-based discussion of the causes and consequences of climate change. It is basically an insult and, once you have been labeled a denier, there is no longer any obligation for anyone to listen to anything you say. “You’re a denier,” means “talk all you want, but I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”

“Denialist” is a newer term which seems to imply the same thing as denier, except with a heavy professional or political motivation. It’s like the opposite of “warmist.” A warmist is somebody who believes in catastrophic climate change and wants to sell you the political or (expensive) technical solutions to it. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elon Musk are warmists.

I myself am a denier (and durn proud of it, partner.) I am not a denialist because I don’t want to sell you oil and gas, or make you vote for Maxime Bernier. Although those are excellent choices, should you care to make them.

BallBounces
Reply to  Ian Coleman
January 31, 2020 5:43 am

“heavy professional or political motivation.” Not to mention “denialist” also provides an academic patina. I will wear either moniker. Interesting definition, with example sentences, here: https://www.lexico.com/definition/denialist

PeterT
Reply to  Ian Coleman
January 31, 2020 12:53 pm

Ian, yes please! Vote for Max!

Rod Evans
January 31, 2020 12:42 am

There is something fundamentally troubling about a legally trained advocate, demanding the best way to win her argument, is to make sure the other side can’t speak?
I wonder if she has even heard of Magna Carta? As she is presented as a spokesperson, supposedly being a law graduate, one would hope so, but these days who can be sure?

Chaswarnertoo
Reply to  Rod Evans
February 1, 2020 9:22 am

Did the great Hungarian freedom fighter die in vain?
This moron is a water melon with zero self awareness.

January 31, 2020 2:07 am

Feminists really are morons.

Steve
January 31, 2020 4:39 am

Here are the categories and the percentages associated with each:

31% Alarmed
26% Concerned
16% Cautious
7% Disengaged
10% Doubtful
10% Dismissive

That doesn’t even remotely resemble what I have seen in the real world. I was expecting a normal distribution, with the vast majority of people being Cautious/Disengaged. I have met very few people who are legitimately Alarmed. Most people I have talked to will claim some general level of concern about climate change, but immediately become less concerned when you attach even a modest price tag to solutions it in terms of increased taxes or energy costs. That sounds more Cautious/Disengaged to me.

LdB
Reply to  Steve
January 31, 2020 6:18 am

Yes but people can be concerned about “aliens invading”, it does not mean they think it likely or really care. That is the problem with polls when they use language like that. The question needs to be of the sort you posed are you willing to pay to do something about climate change policy or change how you vote.

MarkW
Reply to  Steve
January 31, 2020 8:48 am

It could also be the Goldwater affect.
A lot of people are nervous about telling complete strangers what they really feel, if what they really feel is out of step with whatever the popular media is pushing.

michael hart
January 31, 2020 5:22 am

So just more “Project Fear” then?

Next thing we know, every time someone expresses a wrong opinion they will put 10 random villagers up against a wall.

John Gorter
January 31, 2020 5:29 am

”Rebecca Huntley, a prominent Aussie academic, ”

Never heard of her, so how ‘prominent’

Ciao
John

LdB
Reply to  John Gorter
January 31, 2020 6:33 am

You will be sent off to the leftist re-education camp immediately šŸ™‚

Actually I had never heard of her either but so many over educated stupids get MSM time these days they all become a blur.

Coach Springer
January 31, 2020 5:52 am

“Academic” is such a misleading, or at least overestimated, term. How about “an a$$hole with both a strongly held opinion and an advanced degree in something or other.”

Jim Sweet
January 31, 2020 6:41 am

Academics, what would we do without them?

Actually, that’s an experiment I’d happily embrace.

David Elstrom
January 31, 2020 6:42 am

State Climate Scienceā€™s new rule: censor (and preferably ruin) any scientist speaking against Official State Climate Science. Reminds me of the book ā€œThe Mortal Stormā€ where a Hilter Youth asks his science professor to affirm that Aryan blood has elements making it superior to others. The professor says that science shows there is no difference. The Hitler Youth tells him the State says Aryan blood is superior. The professor loses his job and dies in a concentration camp.

(Rescued from spam bin) SUNMOD

Patrick MJD
Reply to  David Elstrom
January 31, 2020 6:47 pm

Did the “youth” report the professors’ thought crime?

Andy Mansell
January 31, 2020 7:32 am

Actually, I hope you Aussies go full mental green, go 100% ‘renewable’, shut down debate totally, Green New Deal to kill the economy, the whole bag. Then when it all ends in lots of tears, maybe the rest of our muppet governments might actually stop and think before following you over the cliff. Sorry, I know that’s a little harsh on most folk, (including family and friends of mine), but sacrifices must be made…

Patrick MJD
Reply to  Andy Mansell
January 31, 2020 5:20 pm

Shutdown the economy? Maybe. But with over 100,000 people arriving every year in Sydney alone, the housing market will continue propping up everything else around it, I don’t think so. There is nothing much more than resource mining here in Australia.

The economy is on shaky ground however and here are 3 of my popular indicators;

1. New car sales are down.
2. Job market is slow.
3. Junk food providers start offering discounts.

Ticks to all three.

Taken me 11 months, to the day almost, to find work in IT. Responses have been either too old, too white (Not the right “culture fit”), too experienced, not experienced enough and too expensive (Market rates). I was interviewed in October last year, never heard from them until just a week or so ago. Well, after the interview the manager did say he would be in touch. To me, it sounds like they hired someone on a business visa that I call a “paper engineer” (Got all the certifications, but no real world experience in the technology) and failed to deliver.

The biggest shock will come when there is no fuel to buy, not sure if Aus is back to the required 90 day reserves from a while back when it was discovered we had on 28 days reserve.

Jacques Lemiere
January 31, 2020 10:14 am

social researcher..i don’t need more.

Charles.U.Farley
January 31, 2020 11:05 am

So its come to this then.

Whats next then Rebecca Huntley?
Put people into camps perhaps?
Re-educate them with force?
Beat them until they aquiesce?
Gas and burn them in ovens when they wont ?

She sounds everso “liberal” to me.
She’d find herself well in favour with a certain fat faced dictator just north of south Korea and in good company amongst all the other despots that have ever polluted our planet with their vile prescence.

She clearly understands nothing of what freedom means, just the freedom to act like some kind of animal whe she cant get what she wants.

John Robertson
January 31, 2020 11:32 am

To me she has life exactly backwards.
But if her world the Emperor wears magnificent robes of the finest fabric and most glorious colours.
I see a fat naked fool.

Now I support driving the extremely gullible from every position of power and robbing them blind,exploiting their incredible gullibility as a caution to the rest of us.
Like addicts,they will never begin to recover until their current conditions become too miserable to endure.

The Cult of Calamitous Climate has been most revealing,the authoritarian nitwits have all climbed on board,regaling the taxpayers with their demands for indulgence moneys.
Now we are months into Government Issued “Climate Emergency”.
Exposing the utter uselessness of our professional parasitic class.

Government promoting mass hysteria for purposes of power,wealth and control has exposed our Agencies as corrupt and stupid.
Our “watchdogs” the suppliers of “Professional unbiased advice” to the hapless politicians how believe they hold power..otherwise known as the “civil service” are exposed as rabid.

“Who watches the watchmen?”

PeterT
January 31, 2020 12:41 pm

Did anyone see this interview with Mikey in Australia a few weeks ago? Found it on Judith Curry’s site. OMG, what a piece of work. https://therealnews.com/stories/australia-fire-denying-climate-change-wont-save-you

Derek usa
January 31, 2020 1:55 pm

Peter T. Oh my god what a story they spin. Well it might,unprecedented or could. The lies that spew hate and fear. Too many with a view that the world doesn’t change over time. They think the world is like Star Trek, where in the future we can control the temp. of the Earth. So let’s go back to the horse & buggy day’s. No nuc. or nat. gas or anything else they don’t like. Just “listen to me and I’ll set you free” with my idea how to solve this “supposed” problem. So no need to worry.

Furiously curious
January 31, 2020 4:13 pm

It really isnt at all original. 2016 handbook for doomsters. She’s just preaching from their bible. It’s lovely to see such spontaneous action.

https://www.theclimatemobilization.org/emergency-mode

observa
Reply to  Furiously curious
February 1, 2020 6:47 am

“Margaret earned her PhD in clinical psychology from Adelphi University and also holds a BA in Social Anthropology from Harvard.”
https://climateemergencysummit.org/speakers/margaret-klein-salamon-speaker-profile/
Margaret is well versed in how to manipulate the mob for your own ends.

observa
February 1, 2020 12:08 am

You mean to tell me there are still some climate realists in power to be dismissed? You could have blown me over with a feather. The climate cult must be slipping with the exorcisms.

Patrick MJD
February 1, 2020 1:11 am

Tropical fish can’t handle a bit of warm water, around Tasmania;

https://www.smh.com.au/national/empty-nets-and-tropical-fish-in-tasmania-as-climate-change-hits-southern-ocean-20200131-p53wmc.html

At that latitude, I would say they are NOT tropical fish.

February 1, 2020 4:16 am

“We need to find a way to convince the Cautious that urgent action is necessary.”

Oh really? Lufthansa (and I’m sure all the others) warns it’s pilots “the chance of saving the day by spontaneous reaction is extremely remote, the chance of catapulting yourself into deepest trouble is very high.”

Tom Walsh
February 2, 2020 5:29 am

The only “Studies” missing from her CV is “African Studies”! another know-nothing moron, pontificating her ignorance.

angech
February 3, 2020 10:01 pm

feedbacks, runaway, and tipping points
Donald Trump 31,386 97.15% 38
Yes, I know, poor taste.
But I thought a 97% rate meant a consensus?

Johann Wundersamer
February 11, 2020 7:19 am

“the electorate still votes for political parties with environment policies that I would call recalcitrant, and with significant groups of climate deniers in their ranks.”
____________________________________

The 20% “morally superior” are wondering why the supposedly inferior have turned away since.

Till to date, these 20% morally superior people don’t understand that they cannot gain supremacy over 80% who can build their opinions on their own.

And certainly won’t tolerate to be denigrated as “recalcitrant” “climate deniers”.

For this 80%, the topic is finished and done:

This topic will no more be conducted in this form.

____________________________________

Rebecca Huntley will have to think of something new.