In creating a representation of the issue of climate change in the recent federal election, reportage shows the effect that climate change will have and is having on Australia’s environment and as a country. Two articles from The Guardian newspaper, Australia’s Federal Election Just Couldn’t Face Up To Climate Change by Graham Readfearn and If Abbott is Elected, Australia’s Natural Wonders Will Gradually be Rubbed Away by George Monibot, discuss the lack of prominence given to climate change in the election, despite its support as an important issue by much of society. Text creators use emotive language and description to privilege the action needed to be taken towards this issue.

Descriptive and emotive language is used by text creators to show and support that climate change is a valid issue in current Australian society. An article written by Graham Readfearn uses explicit facts and events to allow little room to question the fact that climate change is important and does exist. He does this by using language such as, ‘the hottest summer ever recorded in Australia,’ and ‘…most widespread extreme heat wave.’ By mentioning these, he makes clear the effect that climate change is having, and positions the audience to question why politicians are not prioritizing the issue. George Monbiot also describes the destruction of cultural assets, and uses it to position audiences. He says under Tony Abbott, “Australia’s natural wonders will gradually be rubbed away.” This language suggests from the word ‘wonders’, that Australia strongly values its environment and that by not acting on climate change a part of its culture and identity will be destroyed.

Australia’s climate is an important aspect of its representation and culture. The article by George Monbiot describes the effect that dredging and dumping of material in inside the important Australian icon the Great Barrier Reef. “It will be a simple declaration that nothing – not even the Great Barrier Reef, on which so much of Australia’s image and revenue depends- will be allowed to stand in the way of extraction and destruction.”And, “If Abbott is elected, the natural wonders that distinguish this nation will gradually be rubbed away until it looks like anywhere else: a degraded landscape and seascape, supporting just a few generic exotic species.” Similarly, Readfearn brings in the representation of Australia as a country which would possibly be viewed negatively by asking, “If Australia is led by a Government doing nothing meaningful to tackle fossil fuel burning on its own shores while backing an export boom, then who knows how the country will be branded?” By creating an image of Australia after the effect of climate change have taken place, Monibot and Readfearn successfully position the reader to see the lack of action taken towards climate change by politicians negatively. This negative position then causes the audience to value the environmental assets that form part of Australia’s cultural representation.

Both of the texts studied use language to show that climate change is a relevant and important issue in Australian society. The texts successfully use language to position the audiences to question the result of neglecting to act on climate change, and the effect that it will have on the representation of Australia and its culture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Readfearn, G. Planet Oz 2013. Australia. Hosted by The Guardian. [Accessed 12/09/2013]  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2013/sep/05/australia-election-climate-change

 

Monbiot, G. If Abbott is elected, Australia’s natural wonders will gradually be rubbed away, 2013. Published on The Guardian. [Accessed 12/09/2013]  http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/05/abbott-climate-change-election?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487