Former Military Chiefs Urge Government to Develop a Defence Against Climate Change

(My favourite word in that headline is 'former')

The Australian Government is being urged to come up with a defence plan to protect us from our greatest adversary … climate change!

The Canberra Times reported this week that …

The federal government has been urged to come up with a strategy to deal with social tension, conflict and people fleeing their homes as the climate changes.

People fleeing their homes? You mean fleeing the cars they’ve been sleeping in. Australians are more concerned about the housing crisis than about the climate crisis.

But it went on …

A group of former defence and security officials, including former defence force chief Admiral Chris Barrie, wants the government to develop a National Climate Security Strategy.

My favourite word in the above sentence is “former”. It actually brings me great comfort.

Forgive me for interrupting. Please continue reading the article …

"Climate change now poses the greatest threat to our security and the government should be engaging the electorate to build understanding of climate risks and how to respond," Admiral Barrie said.

Xi Jinping approves of this message.

Sorry. I’m interrupting again. As you were …

"Instead, the government has a strategy of non-engagement when it comes to the most significant threat to our future. That is a fatal mistake."

Admiral Barrie said the world was facing severe climate events and increasing food and water insecurity.

What?!

Australia’s food security is threatened by huge tracts of agricultural land being taken up by solar and wind farms, and by farming practices being disrupted by the thousands of kilometres of poles and wires connecting those renewable monstrosities to the grid.

Australia’s water security would be assured if someone had the courage to build a dam, or two.

The article continues …

"The government's lack of focus increases the risks of economic and supply chain disruption, social tensions, conflict and people displacement in our region becoming the norm," he said.

I think that the former defence officials mean to say was that the government’s lack of focus right now is increasing the risks of black outs which will cause economic and supply chain disruption, social tensions, conflict and just generally piss everyone off.

In parliament on Wednesday, independent MP Kate Chaney asked Defence Minister Richard Marles how the government planned to respond.

Thank God for independent MPs.

I wonder if votes realised, when electing Ms Chaney, that there were sending a local representative to Parliament whose chief concern was to ask the Defence Minister what were were doing to fight the sun.

Actually, she’s the local member for Curtin in the ACT, so it’s highly likely voters shared her kooky priorities.

Mr Marles said climate change was a critically important issue for defence planning and strategy.

Fighting climate change as a defence priority? How about you just organise a sub. Or maybe a car from Tullamarine to Geelong.

"I do accept that the pressures of climate change will give rise to a more complex and volatile strategic landscape," he said.

"So we will need to be very mindful of the way in which we posture ourselves in respect of that."

Good posture is very important. My mother always used to say that.

The Australian Security Leaders Climate Group's call for a strategy followed a successful push for a national climate risk assessment.

If Australia can cut 43 per cent of the 1.3 per cent of global emissions we produce by purchasing expensive wind turbines and solar panels manufactured in coal-burning China, it will make absolutely no difference to the climate at all, while enriching our chief military foe.

How’s that for a national climate risk assessment?

Idiots.