FIRE AND FURY
Australia fires – GMB meteorologist Laura Tobin hits back after Australian MP brands her ‘ignorant Pommy weather girl’
GOOD Morning Britain weather presenter Laura Tobin has hit back at an Australian MP who branded her an 'ignorant Pommy weather girl' over her reporting of the country's bushfires.
The meteorologist has become embroiled in a row with outspoken Craig Kelly after she took him on during a GMB debate on climate change and the wildfires yesterday.
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Ms Tobin was left stunned after Mr Kelly took to Facebook to slam her after the debate.
He wrote: "Oh no! Ignorant pommy weather girl calls me a 'climate change denier'."
But she hit back with a withering response, listing her qualifications and experience - including a degree in Physics and Meteorology and four years as an aviation forecaster for the RAF.
Ms Tobin further defended herself on GMB today, telling viewers: "Ignorant could not be further from the truth.
"I have no agenda, I was literally just telling the facts and I watched from the sidelines and just had the outburst because I was so infuriated by his lack of understanding."
Yesterday, Mr Kelly, a climate change sceptic, was interviewed on GMB by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
He claimed there was "no evidence" to suggest climate change and that lower carbon dioxide emissions could reduce Australia's bushfires.
He said: "Our lifestyle depends on fossil fuels, it can't be done without it. Some politicians have hijacked the debate to push their ideological barrow but what causes fires? Drought and build-up of fuel loads."
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The politician was blasted by Piers, who told him he was 'burying his head in the sand'.
Piers said: "Wake up. You are facing now one of the greatest crises you have ever faced, and there is you... who still doesn't think this has anything to do with a heating up planet.
"Climate change and global warming are real and Australia right now is showing the entire world just how devastating it is."
Ms Tobin then interrupted the interview to give her expertise on the issue, saying: "We want everyone in the world to lower the global temperature rise by 1.5C, you [Australia] can't even commit to 2C.
"You have the second highest carbon emission on earth and you are burying your head in the sand. You're not a climate sceptic - you're a climate denier."
Mr Kelly later apologised to the meteorologist over his outburst on social media.
He said: "I apologise to Ms Tobin to referring to her as the weather girl, as I understood that this was her position on the TV show.
"However I now understand that she is a meteorologist who reads the weather for that station."
At least 24 people have been killed and more than 200,000 homes have been destroyed in raging infernos sweeping the country.
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Climate change experts are warning more extreme weather could be on the way with cyclones, floods and warm temperatures anticipated over the summer.
It is believed nearly a billion animals have died in the infernos with several species on the brink of extinction.
Batlow, in New South Wales, was declared the hottest place on Earth over the weekend with temperatures soaring to almost 50C.
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