‘We’re a global embarrassment’: Tim Minchin lashes Scott Morrison for holidaying in Hawaii while Australia burns – as the comedian shares the ‘depressing’ Christmas present he received
- Tim Minchin, 44, lashed out at Scott Morrison for inaction over climate change
- The actor shared a photo of a ‘snow’ globe Christmas gift he received
- The gift featured Santa Claus standing on a mound of ash from the NSW fires
Australian musician and comedian Tim Minchin has used an eerie ‘snow globe’ to slam Scott Morrison for ‘tooling around’ over climate change.
The 44-year-old shared a photo on Thursday of the Christmas gift he received from environmental organisation Greenpeace and attacked the PM for relying on religious beliefs instead of science.
The globe featured a Santa Claus standing on a mound of ash from the NSW bushfires holding a sign that read: ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like climate change’.
The lyricist from the musical Matilda asked Mr Morrison, who on Friday said he planned to return from a Hawaiian holiday after being panned for taking a break while the fires raged, ‘where the bloody hell are ya?’.
Minchin called the package ‘hilarious/depressing’.
Minchin takes a selfie with the ‘snow’ globe gift from Greanpeace featuring Santa Claus standing on a mound of ash from the NSW bushfires
The comedian slammed Scott Morrison for inaction over climate change on Twitter
‘I got a hilarious / depressing package from Greenpeace today – a ‘snow’ globe made made with ash from the NSW bushfires,’ Minchin wrote on Twitter.
‘It is actually snowing ash in parts of Sydney today. Global warming will continue to increase the frequency and severity of catastrophic events like this.’
Minchin also claimed Australia had ‘one of the poorest recent records on climate action’ and told Mr Morrison to stop ‘tooling around trying to codify religious privilege, learn some science, and declare a climate emergency’.
The ‘snow’ globe was also photographed near a smoke-shrouded Sydney Harbour Bridge
Mr Morrison is reported to have secretly flown to Honolulu on a business class Jetstar flight while bushfires ravage Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Western Australia.
The prime minister’s office repeatedly said it could not reveal his holiday location, citing ‘security reasons’ but a photo of him with tourists in Hawaii surfaced on social media on Thursday.
Mr Morrison on Friday issued a public apology for sneaking off on family holiday while Australia burned, blaming scheduling conflicts for bringing his annual leave forward.
Tim Minchin stars in the TV show Upright and stands with his wife Sarah at the ACTAA awards on December 4
‘I deeply regret any offence caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time,’ he said.
‘As noted, given the most recent tragic events, I will be returning to Sydney as soon as can be arranged.’
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a state of emergency on Thursday morning.
Six people have died and more than 800 homes have been lost.
More than 55 fires across the state are still burning and firefighters continue to strengthen containment lines as they brace for potentially dangerous conditions from Friday into the weekend.