PM sticks up for NZ counterpart
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has come to the defence of Jacinda Ardern following comments from an Australian broadcaster. Talkback radio host Alan Jones said on his Breakfast Show that Ms Ardern was a “complete clown” and that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison should “shove a sock down her throat”.
In response to Mr Jones’ comments, Mr Bainimarama
tweeted on Thursday: “Easy to tell someone to shove a sock down a throat when you’re sitting in the comfort of a studio. The people of the Pacific, forced to abandon their homes due to climate change, don’t have that luxury. Try saying it to a Tuvaluan child pleading for help.” Mr Bainimarama, Mr Morrison and Ms Ardern were in Tuvalu for the 50th Pacific Islands Forum. Leaders at the forum have urged Australia to reduce its emissions, with Mr Bainimarama appealing to Australia to “do everything possible to achieve a rapid transition from coal to energy sources that do not contribute to climate change.”
Mr Jones’ controversial comment came after Ms Ardern told media that Australia “has to answer to the Pacific that is a matter for them”.
Talking about Ms Ardern on his radio show, Mr Jones said, “here she is preaching on global warming and saying that we’ve got to do something about climate change. I just wonder whether Scott Morrison is going to be fully briefed to shove a sock down her throat.”
In a Facebook post, Mr Jones also called Ms Ardern a “lightweight” and said he “doesn’t have a problem with carbon dioxide” and that it’s “these swallowers of the hoax that seem to be worrying”.
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also chimed in to the debate, responded to Mr Bainimarama’s comment with a tweet saying, “Well said Frank. Jones should also apologise to @jacindaardern for his latest misogynistic rant.”