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A hunger striker for climate action has abruptly ended a heated television interview with conservative pundit Andrew Bolt, whom he accused of trying to “intimidate” him.
Gregory Andrews, a former senior Australian diplomat, begins hunger strike on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra and says he will starve until the Albanian government provides a timetable to end fuel exports fossils.
However, Bolt was far from impressed by his actions with Wednesday night’s interview on Sky News show The Bolt Report quickly devolving into an angry confrontation with both men trying to talk each other down .
“I wish you had better manners. You are rude. Goodbye,” Andrews said, snatching away his microphone, ending the exchange.
“I wish you had more common sense, to be honest.” I wish you were a better parent,” Bolt replied as his guest stormed out.
Bolt’s comments on parenthood were a response to Mr Andrews saying he was organizing the protest so his daughter “could have a future” and live on a “safe planet”.
Mr Andrews said his daughter went to the same Canberra high school that Albanian Finance Minister Katy Gallagher attended.
“Katie Gallagher sits in Parliament behind me and she approves fossil fuel subsidies that are destroying our children’s futures and destroying our national security,” Mr Andrews said.
Bolt shook his head during the response and mumbled, “Oh, that’s sad.”
“That kind of scaremongering, you’re freaking your daughter out by suggesting she doesn’t have a future,” Bolt said.
“Andrew, you don’t know what my daughter is thinking. My daughter is with me 100 percent. She wants a future, she wants to live,” Mr Andrews replied.
“If you continue like this, you only have two weeks to live with this stupid idea that your daughter has no future,” Bolt said, implying that Mr. Andrews would die if he continued his strike. hunger.
“You are betraying her. You are betraying his double if you continue like this.
Mr Andrews began a hunger strike on the lawns outside Parliament House in Canberra.
Earlier, Bolt told Mr Andrews his actions were in vain.
“You know the government can’t stop coal and gas exports and certainly not in the few weeks you have to live if you don’t eat before they do,” he said .
“It would devastate the economy, it would devastate the federal budget.”
Mr Andrews attempted to make his point in response, but neither man stopped to listen.
“If you don’t mind being a little fair to me, I’ve been on hunger strike since…” he said.
“I’m trying to answer the question but you keep interrupting me.”
“I would like you to show me some respect. I starved myself for seven weeks and you are being intimidated…”
“Let me ask. I haven’t asked for it yet. Let me ask you, Bolt replied.
Mr Andrews said he lost 4.5kg in his first six days of protesting (Mr Andrews pictured with ANU Associate Professor of Biology Benjamin Schwessinger with delegates from East Timor)
“You are rude. Right now you’re yelling at me,” Mr. Andrews retorts.
“They (the federal government) can’t do what you want,” Bolt insisted.
“A lot of Australians are going to suffer, you will be dead in a few weeks.”
“I did not say that the Australian government should phase out fossil fuel exports over the next two weeks,” Mr Andrews replied.
“What I am saying is that we need a firm and real commitment from the Albanian government to free itself from its dependence on fossil fuels. I’m doing this for my children and I’m doing this for my country.
Mr Andrews has worked with government for more than 30 years, including as ambassador to West Africa, the country’s first endangered species commissioner and as Australia’s deputy chief negotiator at the United Nations.
He said he would already lost 4.5 kg in his first six days without eating said and is determined to abstain from food until at least December 13, in the hope that Australia will step up its actions ahead of the UN COP 28 climate negotiations in Dubai.
Independent senator David Pocock visited Mr Andrews while staffers from other politicians came to lend their support.