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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/07/david-littleproud-drought-climate-change-qanda
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'Big call': minister refuses to link drought to climate change on Q&A | 'Big call': minister refuses to link drought to climate change on Q&A |
| (10 days later) | |
| The agriculture minister says linking the drought affecting much of Australia to man-made climate change is a “big call” and he does not “give a rats if it’s man-made or not”. | The agriculture minister says linking the drought affecting much of Australia to man-made climate change is a “big call” and he does not “give a rats if it’s man-made or not”. |
| David Littleproud made the comment on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday, which was filmed in Lismore in the northern rivers region of New South Wales. His comment was booed by the audience. | David Littleproud made the comment on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday, which was filmed in Lismore in the northern rivers region of New South Wales. His comment was booed by the audience. |
| The northern rivers region, like most of NSW, southern Queensland, South Australia, southern Western Australia and parts of Victoria, has been affected by severe drought. | The northern rivers region, like most of NSW, southern Queensland, South Australia, southern Western Australia and parts of Victoria, has been affected by severe drought. |
| Turnbull announces $12,000 payments for drought-stricken farmers | |
| Some regions of western NSW have experienced their driest 16 months on record, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, and Australia as a whole experienced its driest July since 2002. | Some regions of western NSW have experienced their driest 16 months on record, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, and Australia as a whole experienced its driest July since 2002. |
| On Sunday the federal government announced $190m in urgent drought relief funding, including an increase of the Farm Household Allowance by up to $12,000 for eligible households, in response to what both Littleproud and prime minister Malcolm Turnbull have called one of the worst droughts in the century. | On Sunday the federal government announced $190m in urgent drought relief funding, including an increase of the Farm Household Allowance by up to $12,000 for eligible households, in response to what both Littleproud and prime minister Malcolm Turnbull have called one of the worst droughts in the century. |
| Why is the Australian government not giving drought stricken farmers adequate support? @afsnsw @D_LittleproudMP & @fitzhunter respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/U6YW1tnAM0 | Why is the Australian government not giving drought stricken farmers adequate support? @afsnsw @D_LittleproudMP & @fitzhunter respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/U6YW1tnAM0 |
| Littleproud told Q&A host Tony Jones that his electorate of Maranoa, which spans south-western Queensland, had been in a drought for eight years, saying: “There’s no silver bullet to this apart from rain.” | Littleproud told Q&A host Tony Jones that his electorate of Maranoa, which spans south-western Queensland, had been in a drought for eight years, saying: “There’s no silver bullet to this apart from rain.” |
| Asked by Jones if he believed the drought was linked to human-induced climate change, Littleproud said: “Look, that’s a big call. | Asked by Jones if he believed the drought was linked to human-induced climate change, Littleproud said: “Look, that’s a big call. |
| “I don’t give a rats if it’s man-made or not,” he added, saying that people were already under financial pressure and could not afford higher power bills. | “I don’t give a rats if it’s man-made or not,” he added, saying that people were already under financial pressure and could not afford higher power bills. |
| “We can’t do it at the moment,” he said. “We have to be able to turn the lights on, turn the pumps on.” | “We can’t do it at the moment,” he said. “We have to be able to turn the lights on, turn the pumps on.” |
| What is your plan, after this drought to ensure farmers livelihoods are secure for the future? @fitzhunter @D_LittleproudMP & @afsnsw respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/ENk1rzpRH6 | What is your plan, after this drought to ensure farmers livelihoods are secure for the future? @fitzhunter @D_LittleproudMP & @afsnsw respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/ENk1rzpRH6 |
| He said significantly increasing the proportion of Australia’s electricity generated from renewable energy was “a great aspiration” but “it has to be affordable and reliable and sustainable”. | He said significantly increasing the proportion of Australia’s electricity generated from renewable energy was “a great aspiration” but “it has to be affordable and reliable and sustainable”. |
| Littleproud criticised state and territory governments for allegedly placing environmental concerns above the livelihood of farmers, alluding to the vexed issue of environmental water flows. | Littleproud criticised state and territory governments for allegedly placing environmental concerns above the livelihood of farmers, alluding to the vexed issue of environmental water flows. |
| “Every time we go to build something [in water infrastructure], the states finds a reason not to and find some frog that wouldn’t like the temperature of the dam or a butterfly that may not like it,” he said. “You’ve got to make a decision about do you want an agricultural sector or do you want to have ‘kumbaya’ and live like that.” | “Every time we go to build something [in water infrastructure], the states finds a reason not to and find some frog that wouldn’t like the temperature of the dam or a butterfly that may not like it,” he said. “You’ve got to make a decision about do you want an agricultural sector or do you want to have ‘kumbaya’ and live like that.” |
| Australia's drought crisis and farmers' stories of anxiety, fear and resilience | |
| The opposition agriculture spokesman, Joel Fitzgibbon, said Littleproud sounded like his predecessor, former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. | The opposition agriculture spokesman, Joel Fitzgibbon, said Littleproud sounded like his predecessor, former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce. |
| “Don’t embrace Barnaby Joyce’s language, David,” Fitzgibbon said. “It does you no good.” | “Don’t embrace Barnaby Joyce’s language, David,” Fitzgibbon said. “It does you no good.” |
| Joyce’s electorate of New England is one of the areas worst affected by the drought. He criticised the ABC’s decision to host Q&A’s drought discussion in Lismore, a popular tree-change destination that is often characterised as being “green” but nonetheless lists agriculture as one of its key industries. | Joyce’s electorate of New England is one of the areas worst affected by the drought. He criticised the ABC’s decision to host Q&A’s drought discussion in Lismore, a popular tree-change destination that is often characterised as being “green” but nonetheless lists agriculture as one of its key industries. |
| “Next week a sequel of #QandA on drought from another rural centre, Nimbin,” Joyce tweeted. | “Next week a sequel of #QandA on drought from another rural centre, Nimbin,” Joyce tweeted. |
| Next week a sequel of #QandA on drought from another rural centre, Nimbin | Next week a sequel of #QandA on drought from another rural centre, Nimbin |
| Fitzgibbon said carbon sequestration would have a bigger impact on farmers’ bottom line than building more large dams. | Fitzgibbon said carbon sequestration would have a bigger impact on farmers’ bottom line than building more large dams. |
| “The reason no one has built a big catchment dam in recent decades is because the economics don’t stack up,” he said. | “The reason no one has built a big catchment dam in recent decades is because the economics don’t stack up,” he said. |
| “We can improve our soils more quickly and cheaper than we can build dams … If we increase the carbon in our soils by 1%, by a hectare of land, we hold back the equivalent of 10% of an Olympic swimming pool. That’s a smarter way of doing it.” | “We can improve our soils more quickly and cheaper than we can build dams … If we increase the carbon in our soils by 1%, by a hectare of land, we hold back the equivalent of 10% of an Olympic swimming pool. That’s a smarter way of doing it.” |
| The Q&A panel also included the president of the National Farmers’ Federation, Fiona Simson, the former mayor of Lismore Jenny Dowell and “people’s panellist” Matt Sorenson. | The Q&A panel also included the president of the National Farmers’ Federation, Fiona Simson, the former mayor of Lismore Jenny Dowell and “people’s panellist” Matt Sorenson. |
| Drought | Drought |
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| Rural Australia | Rural Australia |
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