Barnaby Joyce says NSW bushfire dead 'most likely' voted for the Greens

Authored by sbs.com.au and submitted by ScoobyDoNot
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Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has suggested two people who died in the NSW bushfires "most likely" voted for the Greens as he blamed the minor party for increasing the threat of bushfires.

Mr Joyce made the comment on Sky News on Tuesday as he doubled-down on his claims that the fire service had conducted insufficient hazard reduction burns as a result of Greens opposition.

"I acknowledge that the two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green party, so I am not going to start attacking them. That's the last thing I want to do."

It's the latest inflammatory comment in a stoush between the Greens and the Nationals over the link between climate change and the deadly bushfires.

On Monday, Nationals leader Michael McCormack condemned "woke capital city greenies" after Melbourne-based Greens MP Adam Bandt suggested the government's inaction on climate change had contributed to the bushfires that have claimed three lives.

While Mr Joyce also criticised Mr Bandt's political tactics, he acknowledged the impact of climate change on Australia's bushfire season.

"I completely condone that this is climate change. So let's put that one aside. And I acknowledge that things are getting drier. We're in a record drought, I mean, it's the bleeding obvious."

Mr Joyce is calling for legislative change to allow more burns to be conducted during winter to eliminate fuel in fire-prone areas.

"The only thing that burns is vegetation and if you've done fire hazard reduction burns, you don't have the vegetation or the amount there, to burn."

His claims have been rejected by former NSW RFS Commissioner Greg Mullins who said hazard reduction burns were limited by warmer, drier conditions, rather than policies.

enigmasaurus- on November 12nd, 2019 at 02:22 UTC »

looks for satire tag ... what the actual fuck?

-Gang_Orca- on November 12nd, 2019 at 02:13 UTC »

Fuck this alcoholic, cheating, corrupt, climate change denying bogan.

bferbazza on November 12nd, 2019 at 02:13 UTC »

Mr Joyce, the Coalition has been in power for over 6 year, the Greens have been in power for zero years. Tell me how it is that this is their fault and while you are at it tell me about your plans for climate, drought and energy. It is your inaction that is costing our country, accept the blame and then get out of the way.