LNP backbencher George Christensen likens climate change to science fiction film plot

Updated

One of the Prime Minister's backbenchers has likened the climate change debate to a science fiction film plot, but says "alarmist" claims are more comedic than frightening.

Liberal National Party MP George Christensen made the comments in Las Vegas at a conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a prominent think tank questioning man-made climate change.

Mr Christensen drew heavily from Hollywood films to mock claims made about the effects of climate change, which he says are exaggerated.

"In Australia, we have crossed that point where the horror genre is descending into a comedy," he told the audience.

"It's hard to tell the difference between an alarmist claim about global effects and the basic premise of a disaster movie plot.

"The weather and climate in Australia has not changed in the last century but a new religious interpretation has arisen since then.

"When we are in a flood, they tell us 'too much rain is a sign, more hurricanes is a sign, fewer hurricanes is a sign, the sky is blue – it's a sign, gravity – it's a sign'."

Mr Christensen poked fun at what he said were alarmist claims from climate change campaigners, asking if global warming would lead to a zombie apocalypse, cannibalism, a prostitute shortage in Bulgaria and the death of the Loch Ness monster.

"I look forward to Johnny Depp doing Pirates Of The Antarctic," he quipped.

"Finally, some movie screenwriters were obviously ahead of their time with classic flicks like Unfaithful and Indecent Proposal, because global warming is already causing women to cheat on their husbands," he said.

Mr Christensen honed in on former climate change commissioner Tim Flannery, former chief scientist Penny Sackett and Labor's former climate change adviser Ross Garnaut.

He said while Professor Flannery had not predicted the effects of climate change would mimic those shown in the film Waterworld, he had raised the possibility of beaches reaching eight storeys.

"If you've ever seen a tourism commercial for Australia, you would know every Aussie home has a sandy beach at the front doorstep and a kangaroo in the backyard," Mr Christensen said.

He described Professor Garnaut as a climate change "salesman first and economist second", and he mocked Professor Sackett for her comment in 2009 that the planet had just five years to avoid disastrous global warming.

"Less than five months out from the deadline, we are expecting the next apocalypse movie to be enacted in real life ... perhaps I will see you at the premiere on December 4," he joked.

"Then again, I am guessing it's going to be a complete flop, like all the other climate change disaster plots have turned out to be or will turn out to be."

Mr Christensen began his speech by acknowledging he was not a scientist or climatologist but was a fan of the television series Star Trek, pointing out he only liked the original "before the show went all liberal ... and started saving whales".

Coalition dominated by climate change sceptics, Shorten says

Labor leader Bill Shorten seized on Mr Christensen's comments as proof the Coalition is dominated by climate change sceptics.

"I don't know if it's more frightening or comedy that you've got Liberal MPs denying the science of climate change," he said.

"We know that the people who don't believe in climate change have taken over the Liberal Party. This is yet again another example of it.

"What's particularly amazing about these uninformed comments by a government backbencher is that his electorate borders parts of the Barrier Reef.

"What more evidence do you need to see the harmful effects of climate change than the damage being done to the Barrier Reef?"

Topics: climate-change, environment, federal-government, science-and-technology, nationals, australia, united-states

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