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Minister sorry for climate change 鈥榡oke鈥
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Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton apologized yesterday after offending Pacific island leaders with his remarks about 鈥渨ater lapping at your door鈥 following regional talks involving climate change, saying they were meant to be 鈥渓ight-hearted鈥.
Dutton made the comments as he chatted to Prime Minister Tony Abbott Friday ahead of an event which appeared to be running late, quipping as a microphone hovered overhead that 鈥渢ime doesn鈥檛 mean anything when you鈥檙e about to be, you know, have water lapping at your door鈥.
Abbott had just returned from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting between regional leaders in Papua New Guinea, where combatting climate change was a key issue.
鈥淚 should have realized the mike was there and didn鈥檛,鈥 Dutton told Sky News.
鈥淏ut I made a mistake. I apologize to anyone who has taken offence to it. It was a light-hearted discussion with the PM and I didn鈥檛 mean any offence to anyone.鈥
PNG鈥檚 Prime Minister Peter O鈥橬eill, who chaired the PIF meeting, yesterday described Dutton鈥檚 comments as 鈥渕ost unfortunate鈥 and pointed out that 鈥減eople in Pacific Island nations did not cause climate change but they are suffering because of it.
鈥淩ising sea levels is a serious issue affecting thousands of our people around the Pacific,鈥 O鈥橬eill said in a statement.
鈥淐ommunities are under threat and losing homes and their food source. People around the Pacific are living in fear with each high tide of storm.鈥
Leaders agreed to disagree after Australia and New Zealand blocked a bid by small island states to limit average global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-Industrial Revolution levels rather than 2 degrees.
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