He specified $10 million would be used to mobilise at least 1,250 specialist volunteers from Western Australia to assist firefighting and recovery efforts in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. "We're stepping up as we did for the Black Saturday Bushfires [in Victoria in 2009 which killed 173 people] to support the communities in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
Mr Forrest's pledge dwarfs the contributions from a host of celebrities such as reality TV star Kylie Jenner and actor Chris Hemsworth who have donated $1 million each. Victoria Police said arson is incorrectly being identified on social media as the chief cause behind the fires burning in the state. "Police are aware of a number of posts circulating in relation to the current bushfire situation, however currently there is no intelligence to indicate that the fires in East Gippsland and north-east Victoria have been caused by arson or any other suspicious behaviour," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
CCPLapdog CCPManSlave
So he now knows better then the police and the commissioner of the RFS? Start interviewing people who know the facts instead of sensationalizing lies ThisIsNotJournalism
Before posting 70mil , could you please include the breakdown. I.e. how much is going to his own charity.
Maggot grub
Except that it isn’t. It’s 1%. Manipulative shit for brains
though i applaud his generosity on one level, actually only 10million is going to relief fund and 50 m to his own fire research institute ... and you know he is not going to be paying tax for a while because of this ... oh reports say most cases are natural not Arson ... idiot!
Twiggy was wrong (or lied). See ABC story with the figures. I mean it's not like he's an authority on this anyway 🤦🏼♂️ askasillyquestion
I believe that’s putting your mouth where your money is.
Can we stop giving oxygen to the’arson’ bullshit?
By climate change activists
Shows you who he is 'A Conman' 'A Liar'
So here it is- money with agenda attached! Just like Clive Palmer
Arson has always been responsible for 60-70% of fires stating. How they start is no indicator of intensity.
Who asked that asshat?
Check ABC fact checker to see how wrong this assumption is
What Forrest says he believes (not the same as what he privately knows) is plain wrong, and irrelvant. It simply doesn't fit the facts as reported by police forces.
When rich CEOs lie to protect their company, call them out on it. ThisIsNotJournalism
WHY WOULD YOU SHARE THIS? You know it’s a LIE!!! Please PLEASE we are begging you, stop reporting on this, and if you must, LEAD WITH TRUE HEADLINES! auspol AustralianFires
He would of course, whilst meanwhile stealing water for his mining exploits.
Industrial scale arson. Kind of like what the cornerstone of your business practices are based on Twiggy
Hey Twiggy, here's the truth about Australia's fires — arsonists aren't responsible for many this season...
A mendicant heavily invested in that narrative would say that.
💩💩💩💩
What 'Twiggy' says he believes (not the sanme as what he privately knows) is simply wrong and irrelvant. It simply doesn't fit the facts as reported by police forces.
Bullshit. Wrong
Well he would say that, this is on you Twiggy and all your lot. koalasnotcoal
FMD. Twiggy's 'belief' trumps expert knowledge! When do we sacrifice a goat to appease the fire gods?
Stop reporting this nonsense. It’s already been proven to be false, we all already know Twiggy is an LNP fanboy, and that they are pushing this line to diminish the impacts and reality of climate change. Continually posting this takes away from the good fight.
ThisIsNotJournalism
ThisIsNotJournalism
He and the ABC should read the police statements.
ThisIsNotJournalism
Who cares what Twiggy says?
ThisIsNotJournalism try again SBS
sorry, Twiggy. usually respect what you do for equity and equal opportunity, but you’ve blown this one.
MrDenmore Pay taxes. Invest in RenewableEnergy Pay First nations their royalties. Make anonymous donations NOT tax deductible. Listen to Climate Scientists. ClimateChangeIsReal AustralianBushfireDisaster AustraliaBurning auspol
Please stop reporting rubbish.
Why not call it an opinion piece if you can't do any fact checking?
ThisIsNotJournalism shame on you
They always blame something or someone other than themselves l mean people like him and our so called leader Mr Scott Morrison same on you
He can believe what he likes. So what. He’s wrong just like plenty of other self serving, self interested, denialists.
Your headline should make it clear that his belief is factually *wrong.' Also that the 70 million is a lot less generous than it appears.
Andrew. Thank you for the correction to your initial statement
1. Arson is not the main way fires have started. 2. How a fire starts does not determine its intensity or how hard it is to stop. THIS is the issue facing us.
Also
Forest says he believes .....but that’s not supported by evidence. Better headline.
The data says otherwise. Why are these windbags given a platform to spread their bullshit?
Can you point to where he said it was the ‘intensity’?
Maybe he could just pay tax
Mine magnate ,Andrew Forrest falsely blames arson for bushfires despite all evidence to the contrary. Fixed the headline for you.
Why is reporting on the opinion of a mining magnate? He is not qualified in the area of climate science or environmental science. His opinion is irrelevant. SBS needs to be better than this.
Whg are you peddling fake news propaganda like its news worthy?
He’s wrong. the experts are telling us that the evidence says it is lightning strikes.
Just pay your taxes mate.
Donated 70 mil to himself
ChristineMilne That is not what he said. There is a distinction between source of ignition and intensity/spread of fire. He was talking about ignition. Bush doesn't spontaneously combust.
bullshit, don't spread it unless you're going to break up where the money is actually going
He’s wrong. Arson doesn’t impact fire intensity & has been stable for years. The underlying conditions have changed to be drier due to climate change which has lengthened the fire season, making fires fiercer & extended them to areas that haven’t burnt for thousands of years
So, is arson on increase & where are his facts? How would ANY arson increase the intensity of fires as widely reported by our fire professionals on the ground - exactly as predicted by nearly 100% of scientists. Hey Twiggy, please explain. Lost me fella.
ChristineMilne You’d think he was brighter than that.
He's wrong, tho. So there's that. This should have read 'Fortescue Metals chairman Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest incorrectly says he believes arson is the biggest factor behind the intensity of the Australian bushfires'
Repeating a rich person’s lies is not journalism. ThisIsNotJournalism
🤬🤬🤬
MarekRivers He also believes in a ‘sky fairy’
Thanks for your donation but you’d be wrong on those arson facts.
And he was willing to pay $70m to get that ignorant untruth into credible media outlets.
So you let the 'arsonist' claptrap go through to the wicket-keeper, SBS? You're part of the problem. Take a lesson from the BBC in dealing with skeptics.
Its not though. He is a piece of work
I believe Elvis is still pumping gas..but i dont have a spare 50m.. Twiggy any spare change? Or is it GoFundMe?
for this?
Well, well, surprise, surprise .... Actually not. As I predicted, the $50m is to fund a propaganda front group to spread disinformation on climatechange. Twiggy is no fool — he'll be fully aware the 'arsonist' theory was fakenews spread by Big Mining. jommy_tee _Oliver_Yates
Fixed your Headline: Man who digs holes in ground thinks he knows more than local authorities and scientists.
yet arson numbers have been trending down?
So now you know what his $70 is for! Surprise surprise. Self interest! Miners like Twiggy wrote the climate denial playbook! jommy_tee _Oliver_Yates
Finally, someone who is a real leader speaks the truth.
Someone should pay their bloody taxes
It looks like an extremely well coordinated para-military style exercise. I would be looking for an abandoned boat -and the remains of fire-starting Drones. Someone's going to sing -eventually. ☮️
Victoria Police rejects social media campaign claiming arson caused fires via theage
Part of the deal to donate 70 mil was to open his mouth, wasn't it? They just have to push the point.....
he’s wrong...
I’m with him.
Thank you Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest we need more people like you walking the talk.
I heard it's mostly going to his own efforts
Seriously? Did he really say that, even after the NY Times article? His coming out and saying this only lends further credence to that article. This is a deliberate and highly organised misinformation campaign - and Australia is awake to these fraudulent claims.
I believe Twiggy is a fake philanthropist attempting to pretend he’s not a tax cheat by choosing to give a comparatively small amount. Imagine everyone chose when, where and why to play their taxes.
Cigarette butts out of car windows are still happening. I saw some this week. After people hsve died. That is not ignorance. It is a criminal offence as lives are threatened by it. Plenty of pyromaniacs too of course but the 'accidental' fires are a big issue.
There's room for 'disagrees with police and' between 'he' and 'believes'
Mining is the polluter ,,around the world ,,fossil fuel pollutes ,,simple really ,,not greenies nor the stupid fire bugs ,
He is right, no doubt in my mind.
Arson plays a role in starting fires, not with intensity, which was due to a combination of factors: 1. Very high temps (climate change) 2. Drought, dry fuel loads 3. Possible lack of hazard reduction 4. Not fully prepared fire fighting wise (not enough large aerial tankers)
Yeah, but to be fair, he is an ignoramus.
JaggerMickOZ And he would be right.
The only arsonists here are the fossil fuel companies and the governments that support them with subsidies
SBS I think your headline should really be “Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest unequivocally believes the warming of our planet is to blame as he announces...” He barely mentions arsonists, this is misleading and muddies the conversation online for people who only see headlines.
It’s funny what you’ll believe if it allows you to hang on to many millions of yearly income.
Twiggy:
So we have incompetent police? And incompetent fire chiefs who can’t recognise likelihood of arson? and the instruments that pick up and pinpoint lightning strikes are another avenue through which rogue scientists create evidence for climate change? Crickets
In other news; Capitalist 'baron of industry' believes workers overpaid and lazy...
Even though it’s not🤥
why is he donating 50 million of that to his own foundation (I mean, I know why, but...)
The 70 mill is not real.
Not arson. Climate change
Goes to show money can’t buy smarts.
'believes' 'donation'
hughriminton He would say that wouldn't He.
Oh yeah because after you have lit a fire you can turn up the dial on intensity.... One of the abilities of an arsonist?
He’s obvs referring to the fossil fuel industry?
SBS why are you publishing these lies? Andrew Forrest is telling lies Fire Chiefs & the Police Department do NOT agree on Yet SBS publish his lies these are not extremeClimateFires but arson fires NO THEY ARE NOT Do your job AustraliaFires auspol
Stop giving a platform to these liars, SBS. 'The fires consuming Australia are not a tragedy, they are the product of 30 years of wilful negligence and greed'. auspol ClimateEmergency ClimateCriminals
So, with all hiss billions, he can't read? Criminal scumbag
Pay. Your. Taxes.
The donation of a widow who gave her mite would have been incomparably larger & would not have got a mention. AustraliaFires
🤦♀️
The donation wasn't all or even most for recovery efforts. What are you even talking about?
What he just bought was the right he thinks to have an opinion and his opinion will be the whole already negated arson line - don’t these peopleknow we’re on to them and in growing numbers
Twiggy Forester is either being fed crap from the climatedeniers or their supporters. Alternatively, he doen't want to admit that CC can change the weather patterns so that the incidence of dry lightning increases & with the drought exacerbate fires.
I he didn’t - he said the climate change was!
Does this mean that if one does not believe Arson is the cause then he gets to keep the $70 mil?
BeLiEvEs
Says the arsonist's arsonist
Twiggy you can’t bribe us with $70mil to listen to your uneducated opinions. ClimateEmergency
Which is exactly which his mouthpieces in the Liberal Party and Murdoch rags are parroting because Twiggy has them on a leash... Twiggy owns the government.
Seriously- errr climate change you fool!!
Certainly there is historic data accumulated through years and supports what Mr Forrest says. Naturally ignited bushfires are rare. Most fires are either suspicious deliberate or accidental. The following statistical chart is from the AIC 2017 sourced from fire agencies:
SBS please fact check before reporting anything Andrew Forrest says he is wealthy not intelligent
Bullshit! Where is the evidence?
For the arsonists to impact the INTENSITY of the fires they would have to add fuel to the fires. How likely is that?
Sounds like a tactic straight from the mining think tank.
If Andrew truly believes that I have a bridge he can afford, NSW have agreed to put free fireworks on twice a year for new owner POA
That's just dumb 'Twiggy', own up to the Fossil Fuel Climate Crisis. We the tax payers are footing the bill. Your donation is just guilt money. Arsonists come in many forms.
Unbelievable- this guy is a national disgrace not a ‘hero’! His wealth came from exploiting OUR natural resources & tax minimisation bushfire
hughriminton 'Twiggy Forrest'...unfortunate name for a climate change denier. Also...he really thinks he can say...'here's $70m, that makes me entitled to tell you to shut-up and go away?'
Why report his words. He has no expertise, and this view has been refuted by fire chiefs and experts. This only spreads the Murdoch lies. This is irresponsible.
Delusional
I mad the same mistake on reddit, wasn’t a popular opinion.
Good on you for the donation but blaming arson for the conflagration is just ridiculous.
And there in lies the issue. His belief is contrary to fact factsmatter 🤦🏼♀️
Of course he would. He probably paid them to do it or he's trying to make us believe that climate change isn't real and we can keep on raping Australia for it's resources.
🙄🙄
Glad you reported his true colours. Is he behind this BS messaging? Tell him to donate the money to the fireys and keep his nose out of our politics. Indue lesson be learned.
A climate change denier's go-to excuse for the current fires and completely unsupported by evidence
as you and SMH both published updates, shouldn't you be retracting and removing the previous misinformation codeofconduct truth thisisnotjournalism mediawatch AustralianBushfireDisaster
Correction: Fortescue Metals chairman Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest pats himself on the back for donating $70M to himself.
Reporting this bs just because Forrest is a millionaire is extremely disrespectful to experts and fire chiefs who have to constantly come out and refute it which is a waste of their precious time during these catastrophic firestorms. Stop it. auspol MSM
Karonleahely Of course he does 😖
He is wrong and you should say so - gosh the BBCRosAtkins has done a much better job than Aus media. arsonlies BushFireCrisisAustralia
Well done Mr Forrest.
He'd have plenty of time to pontificate over that, as he sits on his 'arson'!
Yet he wants to put $50mill along with GR mills, to a think tank on how they can clear bush and expand their mining and big ag interests. $ should go to education and proactive prevention.
Awesome donation twiggyforrest but we all know that dry foliage burns more fiercely than wet foliage Surprised that one in the metals industry would ignore the Science of Camping 1:01
So Tricky Twiggy is able to buy a slice of mis-information to keep himself and his mates at the top of the power triangle. How nice for him.
I can’t even cope this A Hole of a human
Yes, and he is one of the cheif arsonists
They're shitting themselves.
Trying to use his money to control the conversation
Who to believe. Mining companies or the RFS 🤔 Decisions decisions.
That would be a $70m tax credit wouldn't it!
Yeah but if our drought and change of climate wouldn’t had produced a tinderbox so if an arsonist or lightening trigged a fire there wouldn’t have / is be such an ongoing huge disaster.
Why would you even report this?
Arson is only one part of these fire's. Lightening, embers being blown km's away, the winds fanning the flames and the dry areas also contribute to the fire's.
F O Twiggy! Pay hour f’n taxes!!!!!
Whatever the mechanism of the start of a fire, the behaviour is dependent on the figjting response, fuel loads, dryness of vegetation and prevailing weather conditions.
How about *Twiggy* for PM?
Of course he would.
Even if we believe this garbage conspiracy, arson doesn't explain the frequency, severity, nor duration of fire seasons or events, only the ignition.
“Man who knows fuck all gets big platform to spread lies by dint of having shitloads of cash.”
Of course he does. Another climate change denier.
SBS, really do try a bit harder, OK. Can you leave the human touch out of it, please? Drop the 'Twiggy' love handles yeah, this man is a shitcvnt of epic proportions. OK, so try at least to identify your audience, alrighty, bye, bye now.
This ghoul domated momey to his own foundation. Report it correctly
Well Forrest would say that because carbon will be taxed heavily if/when we finally do something to reduce emissions further. His bushfire donation is a double-edged sword. carbonemissions ClimateAction ClimateEmergency auspol LNPClimateCriminals MorrisonMustGo
Please be clear that the money he has donated is to his OWN charity and not to the other bushfire charities to which the rest of us have donated!
Well he can believe it, but he’s wrong. It’s not arson. It’s climate change. 🤔
“Self-appointed, unelected policy maker feathers his own nest with national resources”. There I fixed it for you.
This man is lying, he knows he is lying & it is in his own interest to perpetuate this lie.
macsween_prue He said this: 'Arson may be responsible for starting fires in some cases, but it is not the reason the fires have reached the proportions they have through this season and it is not the reason they have continued for so long.'
macsween_prue He did not say that!!!
Evil and wilful. Towing the government line. Has Morrison come out and set the record straight? NO.
Dear Twiggy, instead of peddling BS, have you taken the time to read and digest the annual police statistics, re numbers of arsonists per annum from start to 2019? Or did you commission a survey into the numbers? This would surely determine, if what you said, is FACT or Fiction!
And... he's wrong.
ArsonthenewClimateChange
ThisIsNotJournalism
Bullshit...he thinks his donation gives him the right to change the facts?
He also believes everyone from aged pensioners to the unemployed, from the disabled to veterans, should be forced onto the illegal, punitive Indue RortCard. Additionally, most of that 'donation' money is going to a foundation he wants set up. Nice little tax dodge, inmyopinion.
Facts are available . Believe
Seriously thisisnotjournalism
Twiggy ,like Palmer uses his wealth to get his false messages out there. More disinformation. This isn’t true , the data doesn’t support it
ChristineMilne Does he own coal mines as well as iron oar?
shoveittwiggy
See where the money goes
headinthesandmuch?!
'Believing' is not actually the same as KNOWING something though, is it.
so for Twiggy the person that lights the fuse or pushes the button is more important than the bomb maker ?.........we know who made the bomb with their policies and mismanagement of the last 7 years ?
survivorship bias
This is so misleading. The opening is not the gist of what he claims. People will read that & quote it.
And is it? You know you don't *have* to print the self-serving opinions of mining billionaires as news, right?
It's very convenient for him to swallow Murdoch's lies.
He's neither a for chief nor a climate scientist, so he doesn't know shit. Pay your taxes and shut up.
Hey Twiggy, we found the arse-onists; you helped to put them in power ClimateEmergency FossilFuelFascists
At least Gina and Rupert don’t pretend to give a fuck
conserv1951 Arson is the only factor, period.
The lies!
That’s really disappointing it is not accurate
NoProof
What he believes and what is actually happening are different... it would be great if he could provide evidence rather than assumption
So he’s part of the disinformation push seeking to draw attention away from the contribution fossil fuel makes y to o global warming? & he’s a mining magnate? Such a coincidence!
so.....hes wrong
The planet's is turning into an oven and he's blaming arson....someone teach that idiot some science
Thanks for the donation Twiggy but you’re wrong. There are SEVERAL factors responsible- the fact that the whole Country is tinder dry is the major one.
hughriminton
How much of that will go back to him ?
Making a donation should not entitle ANYONE to making false statements. You've just jeopardised your reputation SBS.
Burn in hell and I’ll light it b
Whaaat?... talk to the experts Twig old chap!!
Twiggy has been snorting too many iron ore fines again It decays brain cells 🙄
Proof Police Reports Factual ? Nu .. he’s full of IPA BULLSHIT !!
'In 2014-15, FMG generated $9.1bn in sales on a taxable income of $208m, and paid just $13.2m in tax.'
He can believe whatever the fuck he likes. Doesn't make it the truth. Nor does a $70M donation. He's a leach on the land, and the taxpayers that actually pay tax.
He would wouldn’t he.
Is 70 mil for arson police?
hughriminton 🤦♀️😕🙁😟😩😫😥😭😠😡🤬
Does he now? Facts please. I believe in lots of things and that does not make them real. Data please Mr Forrest
Can’t imagine where Twiggy gets his propaganda from.
Does he? Ok then. I’m sure his relevant qualifications and ownership of mines absolutely means that he an expert in this.
Did anyone bother to correct him?
If the mining industry publicly accepts climate change they have to publicly accept the part they play. All he cares about is 💰💰💰
Andrew Forrest? Snore. Donate the money and piss of.
So he just paid petty cash as a “donation” so he could get invaluable air time to propagate the climate change denialist rhetoric?
Wait. He is paying himself $50 million to think about bushfires, and getting a tax deduction for it?
Did he say “intensity”? That doesn’t make sense.
Mistakenly.
So he has chosen to ignore every expert and every piece of data on the topic, and repeats the fake claims by the alt right and their bots. The above refers to both his arson stance AND climate change stance.
‘Funding an army of volunteers.’ Isn’t that an oximoron?
Oh FFS... thank you billionaire ‘philanthropist’ for your insights. 🙄
Well that was predictable.
There you go. Just because you're very rich doesn't mean your not manipulative.
Don’t report it.
It is definitely suspicious to see all these fires break out at the same time !...there has to be someone behind this unprecedented scale of fires !..
Proof it doesn't take brains to get rich from mining
SBS what the!!!!
This guy is one Forrest which burns itself. No ignition required.
So $70 million entitles you to pedal lies and push conspiracy theories. Presumably we are supposed to be so overwhelmed by his generosity that we are cowered into silence. Pay your tax and tell the truth. You know, like the rest of us.
He would say that, wouldn't he? Arson is the reason for the intensity? How does that even make sense? Are lightning fires less intense?
Twiggy donates to his own charity. NOT recovery efforts. There are more strings attached to this donation than Scotty's payments for firefighters, and that's saying something.
A current Fire chief today (in Victoria) said the primary ignition source is lightning.
Can you not add in your headline that his belief is unfounded?
🤣🤣🤣🤣😳😳
'Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.' Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Well duh
His is not really a donation if he wants to give it with strings attached. He should just PAY TAX
Thats a miners copout !..total rubbish
Twiggy fail.
Believing doesn’t make it true.
Billionaire miner thinks climate change is not a problem , shocking, shocking I tell you.
MrDenmore Self-serving bastard! I have lost all respect for this person. He can shove his donation right up his mine!
aussie_bot
A few heads will explode from reading this. Dear Jack, Twiggy isn't a bot.
Who cares what he thinks? Just because he is obscenely rich doesn't mean he's right. AustralianBushfireDisaster ClimateEmergency
Twiggy gets his education from Murdoch. Soon he’ll say arsonists are responsible for drought and temperatures rising.
Incredible! Just shows what he is on about!
I thought there was a catch to his donation.......he needs the mining more the he needs the environment survival.....sad
How can arson be the factor for INTENSITY?
'Good golly, the Country is on fire, those bludgers will want a hand. I wonder what's in my piggy bank?'
If it’s ‘arson’ then it’s federal govt sanctioned.
His beliefs are not facts and the police have disputed this assertion
I think tax avoidance/evasion by mining companies is the biggest issue behind the lack of funding to support pre-fireseason mitigation
Lucky he knows somuch more than the Fore Commissioner, eh 😏
hughriminton I 'believe' ignorance is the biggest factor affecting Twiggy.
SEVENTY MILLION, you fucking legend
What rubbish and he knows it. It’s a lie.
Some things come with too high a price. Take your money and shove it where the sun don't shine, Twiggy.
his palfry donation does not give him carte blanche to make disparaging bs comments
Pushing the false conspiracy theory.
Yes arson is the reason for the drought and the dry weather. Don't listen to the experts that would be too hard to do. What a f*ning tool.
$70 m shouldn’t buy him space for climate denial, $70m with conditions to push his own agenda even less. Arson has no relationship to the intensity of fire & is a proportionally small cause of these fires. Climate change is a fact, denial isn’t news just baseless propaganda
Wow. I wish people would calm down & actually read these articles all the way through. I'm a lefty, I know human induced ClimateChange & Environmental degradation is real, I've known that since the 70s. I also know that arson is a problem, & a big problem in that it's...
He just wants to be able to clear the forests and mine the lot..none of the Victorian fires were arson!
$70 million is 1% of $7 billion - Forrest’s approximate wealth. As a comparison, if I have $50,000 I’d be donating $500. It’s the amount that’s huge, not the proportion of the total wealth. (Hope my sums work😜)
hughriminton And he's going to have such a big platform. 🥺 This had got to be a conspiracy.
We just can’t have policy determined by corporate kings. Just pay your damn taxes. Allow our Government to determine policy in the interests of the entire nation. Everything else is an example of the system breaking down.
Normally SBS is really good at digging into the figures, investigating and not sharing random uninformed opinions. What's going on here?
Extremely shitful reporting aside, congratulations on running this ad for readers outside Australia:
MrDenmore Good on him. But no individual should command that kind of economic clout. The people's government, funded by progressive taxation, should be working for all and the biosphere. Filthy rich philanthropists anomolous, and unregulated wealth is the problem!
Why is this a story ? It’s false, he is wrong. If he said he “believed” the earth is flat you wouldn’t give him the time of day. ThisIsNotJournalism
So the biggest donor so far is clueless
Well just because he believes it , doesn’t make it true.
Fully agree with you Sir
giving voice to this person means I can no longer take your 'news' seriously. SBS was the last place I went for aussie news. I can no longer recommend even SBS
Yes, but he’s thinking of the wrong people - the real arsonists are the Liberal National Party and their biggest donors - the Mining Industry, the Coal Industry and the Murdoch Family. There! Someone had to say it. They’ve paid big money for our government to turn a blind eye.
The end times business plan.
ecobard Getup operatives are big on this thread...and they are really pissed.
Where is his proof? Do you have his references? Why do you propergate this person's uninformed opinion?
Why must he get a platform to air his views? The donation isn’t for your news story - it’s for the fire victims and fighters! Stop airing the prejudiced ideas of morons!!
Think this rather undermines Forrest’s embracing climate change. Still a denier methinks TwitsForMiles
Money doesn’t imply brains.
ClimateCriminals
Better tell Twiggy we had (and we actually did) a line of dry storms with lightning come through the south east of the country just prior to the latest round of disasters... that’s not to say there aren’t arsonholes out there, there unfortunately is!
How the fuck would he know?
He has not offered $70 million for recovery efforts. If he sincerely believes criminal arson is the major cause perhaps he should donate to Police Arson Squad rather than he just create his own think tank & claim that as a donation to recovery efforts.
Twiggy can stick that one. There's a big push of 'arson' by the fuel and mining industries to try and fool people into believing it's not climate change. The police have already called BS on this. Hottest weather on record is the cause.
Who fucking cares?
Kids believe in Santa. Just bc you believe in something, it doesn't make it fact.
Believes? Could not afford to have it verified or did not want to?
MrDenmore Now, why would he go say that? Happy to see him justify in a court. If he has been found to be misleading the public it will cost him more than $70 million I suspect.
Since he can’t be stupid, the logical conclusion is he’s lying to maintain the status quo. He’ll write off the measly $70m as an expense of doing business. Looks good, but it’s a sow’s ear, peeps.
You can pay for lies. Truth is priceless...
NSW over 1800 fires this season and 27 started by arson he has a funny idea of majority!!!!
But if you're on social security he'll skin you alive. indue cashlessDebitCard
Of course he’s not going to say the shit he digs out of the ground & makes billions of profits off could be a contributing factor to the long term issues around climate change 🤨
- makes a dodgey fortune from the Indue Card bastardry - repeats the 'arson emergency' rwfw propaganda - diminishes the role of cc in the bushfire crisis - Does the 'philanthropy' thing giving some of his Mining Profits 'back' as a tax dodge rather than a full payment of taxes ..
Dry lightning strikes have been responsible for a number of fires.
Usually $70m would be a blessing in these circumstances but what Andrew is buying here is his own climatic denial propaganda and buying the spread of misinformation whilst he mines for coal. What a disgrace.
Take his money but reject his lies
Cmon SBS. Know better do better. You know better.
auspol Check out the facts before you parrot the propaganda pouring out of Forrest's word hole.
Twiggy May BELIEVE that.. many people believe many different things. The difference is the Scientists and Meteorologists KNOW it’s record hot and dry conditions brought on by changing weather patterns associated with Anthropogenic Climate Change. It is unequivocal and FACT.
How is it helpful to regurgitate a quote that you know is a lie & make it a headline Is that journalism? Why not- Twiggy incorrectly blames arson for bushfires? Gee that was hard.
MrDenmore Belief is utterly irrelevant. The data says he's wrong. You don't get your own facts. pollutersmustpay
SullJack48 Most will agree Twiggy but the leftist Climate Cult has powerful influence in politics and the Media in this Country. Arson will be dismissed as a non advent, Climate Change will be the Leftist Morrison governments reasoning.
MrDenmore Pay your tax
MrDenmore BS he is lying period EOS
Donation to whom? His foundation. 🤔
ThisIsNotJournalism maybe you guys need to watch this
This will trigger the lefties
Good to see he realises this!
He’s a fuckwit. $50m is going to be tied up into “research” on fire management, when the real issue is climate. Give it a break, Twiggy!
Says the crookski.
Bullshit!!! This is a major push by MSM to hide what's really going on. Let's all hail the MSM narrative..ClimateEmergency climatemanupilation
C’mon SBS, parroting rubbish is not analysis. You can do better than that!
Well he’s talking out of his arse. Tell him to prove it because the Victorian police have said that isn’t true and I believe them.
Mojewhite 70 million contingent on us accepting arsonists caused ALL these bushfires. Ok. Yup. Nah
Oh he would say that, wouldn't he?
Twiggy
hughriminton Who gives a stuff what Twiggy Forrest 'believes'!! Why does his opinion count for anything? I'm sure he doesn't have a vested interest. AUSTRALIANBUSHFIRES
It still surprises me when successful people expose themselves as total tools
he’s objectively wrong tho
If my name was Twiggy Forrest I would do all I could.
He should have back his doctorate. He knows that is false.
Why are you amplifying his false statement?
It’s not a donation. $50M is going to a climate change denial think tank.
100%. If a fire is started by an accidental cigarette butt, the fire is far less intense than if started by a deliberate cigarette butt. Also super-profits taxes and carbon pricing make arsonists angry, thereby increasing the ferocity of the fires they light. Common sense really.
Just in case his motivations weren’t clear right from the start. Stifle debate by bribing your way into the headlines. Pay your tax and keep your unfounded beliefs to yourself.
IMO he just blew any credibility / kudos from the donation
🙄
Does Forrest want to mine national parks?
As Pror Ian Plimer (one of Ginas paid for bitches) likes to throw around beliefs are a religious statement not a scientific one and I follow the science
All the crooks come out to roost and drop their shit at our feet. Here’s 70 mill and by the way it’s arsonists not climate change. Great psychological manipulation of the ignorant. Shame on you SBS. Don’t promulgate Forrest’s BS.
'Believes'? Science & truth be damned
How true is that you can only drive one car at a time u can only sleep in one bed at a time what else do u want in life
His agenda has nothing to do with rebuilding or the climate, his agenda is to make money from our suffering. He wants all the land for himself to do with as he wishes. And he will lie, cheat, steal and murder to get it.
“believes”
I believe he has corrected that
Australia has always been subject to extreme weather. There have been bigger fire look at 1851. My family where burnt out in 1952 massive fires. Sometimes it's just overpopulation.
So he thinks if he puts enough money forward idiots will believe what he says
Thank God someone has finally arrived
Andrew Forest is a great Australian!
Arson does not affect intensity. Stingy, I mean Twiggy, is lying.
He needs to be called out for spreading this lie because his friends the liberal party,which I'm sure twiggy, is a proud contributer to their slush fund,and will help out when asked too.
hughriminton Yeah that’s not what he said at all FakeNews auspol ScottyFromMarketting
Geez he’s throwing millions at a falsehood. Not it’s not arson, it’s climate change that’s causing Australia to become an inferno.
Check out the BBC documentary on this. They come to a different conclusion. ClimateChangeIsReal
Nothing to do with the gas he burns at his mine, or the $300million gas plant he's building at Port Kembla?
A total lie from a tax dodging climate science denier.
Twiggy Twiggy Twiggy can't you see Sometimes your words just hypnotize me And I just love your flashy ways Guess that's why we broke, and you're so paid auspol Twiggy
That’s right if you rich you say any bullshit you want and no one will hold you accountable
Twiggy, when you pay tax, then you are allowed to voice your opinion. I think Aust would like to see some flow charts of the donations you are making and to who!!!
It doesn’t matter what anyone BELIEVES happened. Beliefs are not facts. Facts are facts.
Oh FFS...go do what Laura said “Twiggy”!
Police don’t agree.
Andrew,
It’s not a question of belief. It’s a question of facts. And the facts don’t support him.
When I first heard about his generosity I applauded him, now, after reading this I should have known better. Of course he needs to say that because of his primary sources of revenue. Disappointed.
hughriminton Knew it! That’s what $70millions can “buy” 🧐
Hey , why not say 'Twiggy Forrest believes in fairies at the bottom of the garden, after announcing a $70 million donation for recovery efforts.' It would be equally factual
hughriminton He obviously watches MurdochMedia
0.07%. That's the MAX amount of his wealth he is donating. And he will claim it as a tax deduction so in truth, we will be paying him back. Let that sink in Australia. This is your 'elite'. The ones who didn't want the government to spend tax money on civil services.
I believed that Billionaires and Millionaires were all human, had a heart and weren’t just greedy self interested shitcvnts but, there you go. auspol TwiggysACunt ScottyfromMarketing
so this is the 'authority' that keeps quoting this misinformation!
OK, but he's wrong.
He’s wrong
hughriminton So I’ll assuage my conscience and make huge donation, but will blame fires on imaginary arsonists rather than say ‘climate change’ bc I helped kill the carbon tax?
hughriminton Under the current circumstances, when the facts are quite clearly otherwise, journalism as stenography no longer cuts it. You’re failing your audience.
Well that’s just not accurate
jimbo_tiny Total bullshit!!
macsween_prue Got that right Twiggy
Did he pay for this headline too? Do better, SBS
He is a leach on society
Also belives he's not the low life selfish greedy person others see in him
hughriminton How much tax does this man pay?
he's not donating shit.
Another RWNJ climate denialist. And we subsidise his business and lavish lifestyle. Go away! Go far away!
Alternative headline. 'Guy who befitted financially from undermining ClimateAction and entrenching indigenous dispossession gives $70million to AustralianFires charity so he can write his own history' TwiggyForrest
MatthewPantelis You bet he's right. How many arsonists have been charged with lighting fires. Good on Twiggy, didn't make his money by being stupid.
Hand the money back. We've already had enough climate change denialists screwing things up, without the architect of the Indue Card making things immeasurably worse by throwing his weight around now he's paid everyone off.
So it’s a $70m climate change deniers slush fund to avoid tax.
Twiggy clearly didn’t earn his money by using his brain.
thanks for the money and no thanks for your 'silly' beliefs.
How in the hell can arson be the biggest factor in the intensity of bushfires...it does not make any sense whatsoever..the intensity has nothing to do with how the fire started...thats a fact...twiggy you are just a climate change denier...and thats notgood for future generations
Of course he does. If he can donate $70mill how much is he raking in from fossil fuels? Does he not have grandchildren? ?😢
“...currently there is no intelligence to indicate that the fires in East Gippsland and north-east Victoria have been caused by arson or any other suspicious behaviour,' a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
On what does he base his opinion ?
Stop it SBS. Stop spreading lies.
Is Andrew 'Tax Dodger' Forrest sure there isn't another reason for the fires? AustralianBushfireDisaster FuckingBillionairePhilanthopists auspol ConspiracyTheorist
Disgraceful.
Who cares what he believes, he's not in a position where it's relevant.
So what? People believe in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. This 'belief' has been relentlessly rebutted by experts like Shane Fitzsimmons and MichaelEMann. Stop letting this lying BS stand. NotArson
Brilliant. Donate a large sum, then sink the boot in on climate change. legend
Apart from the fact that Twiggy is apparently too thick to even u/stand the distinction between ignition source and underlying cause, there are also these inconvenient facts - climate bushfires auspol
myknittingwool This is a man who hates the poor. Who cares what he thinks? Is he a scientist? No. Does he have any expertise in fires. No. Does he care about billions of dead animals? No. Is he a bombastic idiot with too much money and no heart? Yes.
Bullshit artist from go to woe signalling a shitfest of misinformation and misspent money to further entrench fossil fuelled disasters in lnp events' calendar.
knarfnamduh Now we know the real reason for the 'donation'. Deny climate change.
Ohhhhh, so this is the conservative narrative. Just get the billionaires to weigh in and it's all sweet. How much longer can we ignore the catastrophic reality of climate change? Even the billionaries will burn
So the new arsonists possess evil super powers? Is their weakness kryptonite too? Maybe that was who Barnaby was referring to living up in the clouds? I don't know, I'm trying hard to embrace their alternative, Climate change is so, well, gloomy omnipotent super villian, no fun.
As in anthropogenic climate disruption arson? Like what FMG is responsible for? Agreed Twiggy
Trying to help morrrison
This headline is pure journalistic stenography .. I don’t care what he believes .. I want to know what’s true
yay. rich white dude has an opinion facts be damned
How does the ignition source determine the intensity 😂😂😂
Keep his dam donation
So where your SCIENCE degree mr Twiggy
An absolute parasite
Well he obviously only reads MSM!
I believe Twiggy would be more helpful if he kept his gob shut and paid the billions he owes Australia from tax avoidance
Why can’t you be factual and say “twiggy wrongly believes arson is the biggest factor...” this is dangerous bullshit. HEADLINE THE FACTS.
Another climate denialist then.... Shameful twiggyforrest, utterly shameful of you to be so wilfully ignorant of the science.
Absolute bs. Hotter longer drier weather. Arson is a very small factor
Surely this is fake news?
Sadly , we all know that Twiggy is deeply self serving, and , one must fear, not really very bright when it comes to anything other than screwing $$ off real Australians?
Perhaps he should keep his donation and refund his ill gotten gains from the immoral Indue Card.
GreAt stuff! When you get your living from nature then why not give back some of it to save. I hope this lead to a ripple effect among Aussie billionaires.❤️🌈🕉
Going along with the party line, eh. Deny ClimateChange at every opportunity.
Mr Forest can believe anything he wishes as long as he keeps out of the way of people making a difference. The facts stand.
Oh wow. Like we SO shocked he doesn’t believe in climate change. Yawn.
These fellas think because they have money their opinion matters. Sorry I couldn’t care less what you donated, I don’t care about your opinion. You are part of the problem not part of the solution. Lying rich person who thinks they can change the science
He believes in the face of the police and fire chiefs saying the opposite 😂😂
Denial is a form of arson. Inaction feeds future climate change disasters. Act now to save the World, and all life.
Of course he did! His interest in undermining climate change far exceeds $70m
A batter headline would be Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest INCORRECTLY says he believes arson is the biggest factor behind the intensity of the Australian bushfires Be better , just because he's a billionaire doesn't mean facts don't matter
Wow, really! You should release their names - name and shame! Can you name just 20? Maybe 10? How about 5? I can only name one, Ceo Too
Of course it is important to add that he's another happy clapper who no doubt believes that God put the coal and oil on the earth so we should use it.
notArson AustraliaFires
Why do you give this crap oxygen? By spreading his stupid opinions you become part of the problem, unless you state the facts next to it.
billionairebludger TwiggyForrest MorrisonFires auspoI It’s NOT ARSON
Then he's wrong. Is he the expert on this now too? auspol MSM
doing work off the right wing conspiracy nutters, DanielAndrewsMP stated “not one fire in Victoria was started by an arsonist” would be close to same in NSW, QLD not sure ClimateChangeIsReal BushFireCrisisAustralia TwiggyForrest is a coal miner
FakeNews
Does Twiggy Forest hold any relevant qualifications relevant to backup his belief or are you just indulging in the debate distortions associated with the Murdoch media?
wonder how much twiggy Donates to climate denial
Yes, sure. Arsonists are also responsible for the dryness and the lack of rain over the continent.
How about leading with “Twiggy Forrest wrong but we will take his indue profit anyway” onthesteps2020 Feb4FireFury
Go, here's some money, shut up and stop blaming us lot now!
Well the statistics show he’s full of 🐎 💩.
Yer he would say that
Twiggy Forrest is wrong and you should call him out in your headline. Now is not the time for timid journalism.
All the matches in the world are useless if the place ain't ready to burn!
Bloke does a PHD on removing plastics from oceans yet can’t acknowledge anthropogenic climate change as the predominant cause of these fires. Ethical on his on terms.
Oh Twiggy Twiggy Twiggy. Grow up mate, join the adults in the room. Not everything is a CSI show ... some fires were lit, yes, most by irresponsible dingbats not actual wilful arsonists). but most were lightning. Do yourself a favour and listen to Shane Fitzsimmons BushFires
Seriously? You publish this shite?
He does not believe this at all, it just suits him to say it. And you fell for it ThisIsNotJournalism
After his donation, this billionaire chooses to debase its intent by perpetuating this vicious lie? Why bother with this faux magnanimity?
The headline should begin 'Despite all evidence to the contrary....'. He's a mining magnate, why should his opinion be reported in the way it has been?
So wait, he thinks Arson made the fires burn hotter and faster? SCIENCE.
Man who benefits enormously from a major cause of climate change lies about the impacts of industrial-scale pollution while trying to distract us with money
Yeah, nah.
He obviously can’t read.
🤦♀️
A fact free fucking dope , who the nation can do without. We do not need billionaires . They should not even exist. They become ultra wealthy by scamming the nations resourses , making huge sickening profits. I find this individual and others of the same ilk , repugnant.
How much tax does he avoid each year? How much has his mining concern contirbuted to the warming of the globe? Lets face it he is acknowledging he has a moral obligation to contribute but in the scheme its minimal. At least he has, unlike Gina national disgrace Rinehart.
Of course he does. Nationalise the mining industry to recoup our taxes.
Because he has no self-interest to declare with that statement. Stupid, fatuous man.
This $70m is just fraction of tax that has been avoided?
Well that's a surprise. 🙄
Forrest is wrong, this is a fossil fuel/mining disinformation tactic & SBS News are remiss for not identifying it as such. HIs big donation is an attempt to whitewash his disinformation. FIX THIS, SBS, you have been played
Why do the wealthy and political class refuse to listen to the experts ?
Believes? What about facts. It’s not arson. He pulled this out of his arse.
This is going to trigger the hell out of the climate scaremongers.
So another liar
The fires are still raging & the ink is dry on Twiggy's contract, my the govt can move quickly when they want.
Fk the guy just stumped of $70M and all these muppets below can do is complain 🤦♂️
Arson is not the biggest factor in bushfire starts. Deliberately lit fires aren’t even the biggest factor. This from Victoria. I think professional media should identify the facts and either make a disclaimer or provide an honest opinion from someone else when lied to.
Just one of dozens of refutations of this spurious claim...
Weird that the person with an invested interest in climate change denial came to that conclusion.
I think that this information should have to be in every tweet that references $70 million. Not so much the percentage of his worth, but the details of where most of it is going.
Where is his evidence. Shouldn’t you be fact checking his comments before giving them credibility
The guy is away with the fkn fairies
Cut the crap Twiggy there is as much chance that the fires are due to arson as Rupert, Gina and Twiggy et al actually paying the tax you should
Well he's a WankStain 😑😣😡🤬 SayNoToIndue 👍👊🤘🖖🤙✌
1.3% of fires caused by arson..a time when 1.3% counts not like our emissions at 1.3% of world or at least that’s what these dinosaurs think!
well - he needs to stop get his briefs from Gina and the IPA. Sustained drying of the landscape and changing climate with less rain and higher summer temperatures. Now when it burns in Australia it burns for months and 10's of kilometers
Which just goes to prove you can be very RICH without being VERY CLEVER or WELL INFORMED.
🙄🙄🙄🌱🌱🌱🌱🌲🌲🌲🌲
MatthewPantelis Boom! 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼 This climate change bullshit is crumbling at last. ArsonEmergency
no...why would you say that?...is it because of the amount you donated, that it gives you a voice...that's so sad...
I disagree Andrew. It's legalised THEFT and it's bullshit generosity to give a fraction of what Australian governments gifts you and other miners out of taxpayers' monies ActOnHenryTaxReview
Fck him & his donation, how he doesn't expect to be dismissed if not laughed at is beyond me
Part of the problem? climatechange
Crickets from Rhinehart and Murdoch. Self interested twats
thegreatunwashed dirty
Ah Twiggy, you couldn’t just leave it at the donation could you, even though you’ve made your fortune from the very industry that’s helped creat this problem and your altruistic gesture is a great tax dodge too.
So do plenty of old white men. And?
“Billionaire lies about arson being the biggest factor behind a disaster he helped create while making a tax deductible donation - some of which will be put towards clearing more land he wants to exploit“ ... maybe I’m just cynical
*sighs loudly*
Dear SBS, arson is not the biggest factor. Why put this foolish and incorrect quote in a headline?
$60 Million to buy an election ...Big Clive... $70 Million announcement to sprout ClimateDenial theories... Pretty easy to see what is wrong with the big picture...
So he knows more than scientists then?
Joe_Hildebrand looks like someone agrees with you.
Another propagator of fake news. Donating makes him look generous, but he needs to pay tax first
They keep pushing this agenda so they can continue to line their own pockets. Its absurd!
A Billionaire tax-dodger would say that, wouldn't he? bludgers
Do your job SBS. Here is an example.
Well he would wouldn't he. Nice tax deductible donation as well... Not that he pays any.
Pay your taxes twiggy