Apology demanded over ‘insult’

A leading Samoan environmentalist, Fiu Mataese Elisara, has demanded an apology from the Australian government and its Minister of Federal Immigration, Peter Dutton, to the people of the Pacific.

The call from Fiu, the Executive Director of the Ole Siosiomaga Society Incorporated (O.L.S.S.I), follows what he described as “belittling” and “arrogance” remarks made by the Minister in relation to climate change.

During a conversation with Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, Mr. Dutton was discussing the summit where climate change was a key focus.

Noting that the meeting was running late, Mr. Dutton remarked that it was running to “Cape York time”, to which Mr. Abbott replied “we had a bit of that up in Port Moresby.” Mr. Dutton then responded, “time doesn’t mean anything when you’re about to have water lapping at your door” to which both laughed.

The Executive Director said the comments, caught on a video, were insulting. As a result, he is demanding an apology from Mr. Dutton and the Australian government.

He said Australian leaders should be reminded that climate change is not something to joke about.

“It is sad that this video has come just after the Pacific leaders meeting in P.N.G,” Fiu said. “How ironic if this attitude punctuated itself in all that Australia said amongst its Pacific 'friends'! With 'friends' like this, who need enemies?

“The S.A.M.O.A Pathway is very clear in its theme 'Sustainable development for small island states through genuine and durable partnerships'. Climate change is one of its priorities!

“As a party to this, Australia as the biggest Pacific neighbor and partner, needs to play a responsible and genuine leadership role, and not have rhetoric found itself out!

“We believe the least Australia can do is give a public apology for what their leaders said in the video.”

The Executive Director pointed out that although it was a private conversation, it was a reflection of ignorance from the big Pacific neigbour.

“Whist it may be a private conversation it shows clearly the arrogance and belittling attitude of Australian leaders on the plight of our Pacific Islands in regards the urgency required to combat the climate change crisis,” he said.

“It may be waters lapping in ones front door for them but in many of our Pacific communities that have open homes with no doors, that water can literally equates to life and death for many of our peoples and indeed tantamount to whole countries, peoples, cultures, and sovereign nations, 'washed' out of existence.”

The Executive Director pointed out that “the road to Paris is littered with that kind of attitude from the culprit countries like Australia that have contributed immensely to the direct and underlying causes of the havoc resulting from climate change”.

He said it is no wonder most of the world peoples have lost faith in the climate change negotiations process and see very little positive if anything will come out of Paris.

Fiu questioned if the countries such as Australia will continue to renege on fulfilling their promises to sustainable development of developing countries.

He added if the developed countries will continue to run away from their responsibilities.

“What of their commitment to the principles of equity, of common but differentiated responsibility, of precautionary approach, of polluter pays, and take real action to curb climate change and address this mess,” he said.

Fiu who is a conservative also highlighted the devastation caused by climate change in the islands.

“Climate change impacts are real and now very much evident in the disastrous heat waves, floods, typhoons, fires, tsunami, and the 'waters' from these 'lapping on the front doors' of the developed countries causing enormous devastations taking many lives and destroy much of economic development in their own countries.”

He said that the leaders failure to take real actions to address climate change are coming back to haunt them.

“Sadly, many people in these same countries who support our call for action are the very ones directly affected,” he added.

“Not the leaders who continue to pursue profits beyond tipping points of the carrying capacity of ecosystems and Nature. We want to remind the Australian leaders that climate change is not something to joke about! It is sad that this video has come just after the Pacific leaders meeting in PNG! How ironic if this attitude punctuated itself in all that Australia said amongst its Pacific 'friends'! With 'friends' like this, who need enemies?.”

According to RNZI, Mr. Dutton refused to comment about his joke describing the exchange as a private conversation.

That conversation was only hours after the Pacific islands Forum meeting highlighted a growing chasm between the Pacific countries and Australia and New Zealand on the issue of climate change.