Sunrise host David Koch has made a threatening comment towards a young female climate protestor, asking what would happen if authorities “clipped the rope” suspending her over a freight rail line.
Koch made the comment on Sunrise on Friday morning while interviewing 25-year-old climate activist Emma Dorge. Dorge was speaking to Koch and Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr while mid-air above the freight train line in Port Botany.
“What if authorities there just clipped the rope? Are you a good swimmer? You’ve only got water below you there, that would be a pretty soft landing,” Koch said. “I think we’re being way too nice.”
The comments come less than one year after Koch was chosen to speak on a panel at the federal government’s Women’s Safety Summit.
“Why do you think you’ve got the right to disrupt other people’s lives?” he also asked Dorge. “What gives you the right to decide to make people late for work or late getting to a hospital or school just because you’re antsy about something?”
“This is a freight rail line, I haven’t disrupted a commuter rail line,” Dorge replied.
Friday was the fourth day of protest action at the Port Botany site by climate protestors.
“The reason why we need to do this, and it’s not fun, is because without this disruption we’re not being listened to,” Emma said.
During the interview, Koch cut off Dorge mid-sentence telling her to listen to him.
“Emma, Emma, Emma, just listen to us. We agree we need action on climate change, we disagree with your right to impose yourself on our lives and disrupt our lives, getting to work or getting our kids to school, or getting people to hospital.”
Dorge said no one would be getting their kids to school when fires, flood and famine takeover due to climate change.
“There is expected to be food systems collapsing within the next eight years. I am doing this for the children of the world who have no hope and no future,” Dorge said.
“You’re not listening Emma,” Koch said.
According to the Courier Mail, Dorge was brought down from her mid-air protest by police and arrested at the scene.
Koch ended the interview with a further attack on Dorge.
“Alright Emma, we got you on because we wanted to hear from a pest and what they looked and sounded like,” he said.