There is very good reason to be concerned about Fairfax under the control of Gina Rinehart. As reported today in The Age, Ms Rinehart made her views on climate change very clear in a statement made to the ABC a few weeks ago:
It also put Mrs Rinehart’s views on a range of subjects, including climate change. ”She remains concerned by the lack of understanding in the media on this issue,” it said.
”To lessen the fear the media have caused over these issues, Mrs Rinehart suggests that the media should also permit to be published that climate change has been occurring naturally since the earth began, not just the views of the climate extremists.
Climate extremists? That would be NASA, every scientific academy on the planet, the UN, the US military and 95% of climate scientists.
Are the “extremists” Rinehart refer to those tofu-munching Luddites Greenpeace? Well it’s a funny old world when environmentalists are in agreement with the world’s militaries and scientists.
Rinehart seems to be under the illusion that denialist views are somehow ignored? Has she read The Australian or Herald Sun…
Of course she has. The problem for Rinehart is that some parts of the media are still accurately reporting the science.
Remove Fairfax, problem solved right Gina?
Rinehart has also taken it upon herself to lecture us on the causes of climate change:
It is a fact that there have been ice ages, then periods of global warming to end the ice ages, and these have occurred naturally, including due to the earth’s orbit, and not due to mankind at all.”
No shit, really? The climate has changed in the past?
Because all those thousands of scientists working on the problem would have never thought of that. Thankfully Rinehart – who incidentally mines and exports coal – has pointed out the great big flaw in climate science.
She also takes the time to praise her tame geologist Ian Plimer and fan-boy Andrew Bolt:
The statement spoke glowingly of climate sceptics Ian Plimer, a geologist, and Andrew Bolt, a columnist in Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd.
”Mrs Rinehart admires people like Ian Plimer who have independently chosen on their own accord to stand up against this tidal wave, which has caused fear, and despite substantial attacks by some of the media and extremists.”
Plimer independent?
You mean the same man who is both out-of-step with the scientific community and sits on the boards of two of her companies – including Queensland Coal Investments.
Gina has come to clarify the climate change issue all right. Just what that means for the health of our democracy and the quality of our media is another question.
Thanks Gina, I have a very good understanding of the politics of your move against Fairfax.
Watching the Deniers 
Rinehart – living proof that money can’t buy intelligence, but it can buy ignorance.
(feel free to use that)
Mike, you clearly don’t drive a car because I’ve seen a lot of cars and none of them were driven by you.
She can’t be too bright to make a like argument regard climate change. I know it’s a popular one – “climate has changed in the past and humanity wasn’t to blame then, so why know?”
It fails to grasp even basic physic – physics behind numerous technologies today, such as lasers and infrared gas analysers. We even know the signature of CO2 absorption within the infrared band, which is pretty cool stuff.
Anyway, scientists on any subject with compelling evidence that challenges our safe delusions are extremists, if not downright evil. Knowledge is power, giving people like Gina clear incentive to aim in keeping the mass as mindless dolts.
Re “climate has changed in the past and humanity wasn’t to blame then”
Since humanity wasn’t around then it’s (almost) a valid point, but “so why now?” – umm, to ensure that humanity stays around would seem to be a reasonable answer.
I sometimes wonder how Plimer sleeps at night.
What next from Gina? “It’s the sun!”? “It’s all based on computer models!”? “Climategate!”? I look forward to the media seeking her opinion on medicine, geology or astrophysics.
[…] in the other post, (Rinehart on climate: deeply concerned about our “lack of understanding” on issue), Mike included a quote from Rinehart which annoyed me; “It is a fact that there have been ice […]
[…] in the other post, (Rinehart on climate: deeply concerned about our “lack of understanding” on issue), Mike included a quote from Rinehart which annoyed me; “It is a fact that there have been ice […]
refusal to sign charter of independence says everything
Ms Rinehart has mounted a high-profile campaign to win seats on the Fairfax board after a large acquisition of shares earlier this month left her with 18.7 per cent of the company.
Her refusal to sign the company’s charter of independence
has raised concerns she would interfere with the editorial independence of Fairfax’s flagship newspapers, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Mr Corbett said Fairfax had received tens of thousands of emails and other correspondence from shareholders and readers making it clear they supported the company’s position on editorial independence.
Ms Rinehart is Fairfax’s biggest single shareholder.
CCZ media analyst Roger Colman says Ms Rinehart should now ask for a special meeting of investors and let them decide.
“Go to the shareholders,” he said.
“This dispute can be settled in a simple, numerate count of shareholders’ votes.”
Fairfax shares rose 1 per cent today to nearly 60 cents.
Ms Rinehart’s company, Hancock Prospecting, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Some promising news:
The only thing pigs at the trough understand is to gobble down as much as they can before anyone else gets to eat. CEOs, Billionaires, Media-Celebs and Politicians all do this too, while pretending to have everyone`s interest at heart. But they all act and Lobby against the interest of everyone else.