THE HON. JOHN HOWARD
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA

Mr Howard, thanks for your time.

It’s a great pleasure to be with you.

I’d like to talk to you about global warming and climate change.

Global warming and climate change?

Yes, what is Australia doing about…

Hang on. (He is writing it down.) Global warming.

Global warming and climate change.

Global warming?

Yes, the globe is getting warmer.

When is this going to happen?

It’s happening now…

Well, do you want to talk about that as well?

Yes, it’s the same thing. Global warming means the globe is warming.

So that’s still ‘global warming’. We’ll cover that under ‘global warming’ won’t we?

Yes. Mr Howard, we’ve got rising sea levels, climate change, Australia’s one of the most affected places on earth.

Sorry, what was the other one? ‘Global warming’ and what?

Climate change.

(Writes.) ‘Climate change’?

Yes. The climate is changing. We’ve just had the hottest October in donkey’s years.

(Writes.) ‘Climate change’.

It’s urgent that we do something about all this.

Urgent?

Mr Howard, it was urgent we do something about this ten years ago.

(Writes.) ‘Urgent’.

Mr Howard…

Hang on, Bryan. How do you spell ‘urgent’.

U-r-g-e-n-t.

Looks wrong.

It’s right, Mr Howard.

(Writes again.) ‘Urgent’.

Yes, Mr Howard what is the Australian Government doing to ensure that…

Bryan, I’m trying to get all this down so we can discuss it. ‘Urgent’. Yes. Looks better in capitals.

Mr Howard.

Right. Global warming. Climate change. And it’s urgent.

It was urgent ten years ago.

Is it still urgent?

Yes.

We’ll cover that under ‘urgency’. Anything else?

No. Mr Howard, what is Australia doing about climate change and global warming?

Climate change and global warming?

Yes

Hang on. I’ve got them the wrong way round. Is it still urgent?

Yes.

Can we have some water?

We haven’t got any water.

Don’t be silly, Bryan.