Andrew Bolt (pictured) one of Sky News Australia‘s most prominent commentators, has slammed News Corp’s new editorial initiative ‘Mission Zero’.
According to The Guardian, Bolt described the new initiative as “rubbish”.
‘Mission Zero’ is a new campaign by News Corp which supports net zero emissions by 2050. An editorial in the Daily Telegraph promoting the campaign said, “for decades the issue of climate change has bedevilled Australian governments on both sides of politics. It has led to the downfall of at least two prime ministers and been used as a political dagger by the hard left and a political battering ram by the hard right.”
“Today we are putting an end to all of that so we can put Australia on a path to a Net Zero future that will not just benefit the environment but benefit our economy, create jobs and save households money.”
It has received significant coverage given the company’s historic platforming of anti-climate change rhetoric and commentators – including Bolt himself.
On October 10, writing for News Corp publication the Herald Sun, Bolt criticised the Business Council of Australia’s calls for Australia to reduce its coal emissions.
He wrote: “the science shows we’ve never been less likely to be killed by climate disasters. The world is getting greener. World grain crops are bigger.”
“Worse, the BCA’s policy is idiotically useless. Australia’s emissions make up just 1.16 per cent of the world’s total – so little that our cuts won’t change the temperature. Why even try, when giant China – with 27 per cent of world emissions – meanwhile screams for more coal-fired power?”
A few days later, Bolt used his Sky News platform to criticise NewsCorp’s new position, calling it “global warming proaganda.”
As reported in The Guardian, Bolt said: “Millions of Australian readers would have got a shock this morning when they picked up their Murdoch newspapers around the country.”
“Prime minister Scott Morrison will actually be delighted because he can now have the Malcolm Turnbull-type policy that he wants – net zero emissions – and take it to the next big global warming conference in Glasgow in November, knowing that he has the backing of the Murdoch media.”
““I know I’ve lost the argument. My whole company’s against me. I know that against these huge players, all the big political parties, my own employer, all the media and big media outlets, what am I?”
Some commentators have criticised the ‘Mission Zero’ campaign, describing it as greenwashing.
Former Prime Minister and vocal critic of NewsCorp, Kevin Rudd, tweeted a link to The Guardian’s article .
Rudd wrote: “Cynically pretend to one audience you now support climate action while still allowing Bolt’s denialism to rage to the other! Why?1)Murdoch greenwashing 2)Keep audience share 3)Give Morrison cover to crabwalk to 2050 carbon neutral while still doing nothing.”
