Wednesday 28 September 2022 06:08 AM NZ radio star Heather du Plessis-Allan laughs at 16yo climate activist Izzy ... trends now
The mother of a 16-year-old New Zealand climate activist has lashed out at a radio host who mercilessly mocked the teen after she admitted to flying to Fiji for a holiday.
Rose Cook, the mother of Wellington school climate strike organiser Izzy Cook, penned a furious reaction after hearing her daughter give the phone interview at the family home.
'I listened in horror as my 16-year-old daughter had a phone conversation with someone who appeared to be bullying her, laughing at her, and talking over her,' Ms Cook wrote for Kiwi website The Spinoff.
Izzy Cook, a 16-year-old school climate strike organiser from the New Zealand city of Wellington, found herself on receiving end of merciless mockery after admitting she flew to Fiji on a holiday
Under the heading of 'Heather du Plessis-Allan should be ashamed of how she bullied my daughter', Ms Cook said the popular radio star who interviewed Izzy did not give 'a sh*t about climate change'.
Ms Cook accused Du Plessis-Allan of staging a 'gotcha' moment 'to discredit her (Izzy) personally and derail the conversation about climate action'.
During the interview, Izzy tells Du Plessis-Allan she thinks it would be a good idea if flights were only allowed for 'approved events'.
'Am I allowed to go to Fiji, is that necessary?' Du Plessis-Allan asks.
'In the current climate crisis I don't think that's necessary,' Izzy replies.
New Zealand radio star Heather du Plessis-Allan has been accused of bullying 16-year-old climate activist Izzy Cook after laughing at her uproariously during a radio interview
'When was the last time you were on a plane?' Du Plessis-Allan asks, seemingly innocently.
Izzy gives a hesitant reply.
'Hmmm... I'm not sure... a few months ago to be honest,' she says.
"Where'd you go?' Du Plessis-Allan presses.
'Fiji,' is the resigned reply.
Du Plessis exclaims 'Izzy!' and breaks out into squeals of laughter.
'Izzy, don't you care about the climate Izzy?' she asks once her mirth momentarily subsides.
'Of course, I care about the climate,' Izzy replies strongly.
Twitter users respond to the posting of an article by Izzy's mum, Rose Cook, who was left fuming at the treatment of her daughter
'Not enough, you went to... you... went... to... Fiji,' Du Plessis-Allan manages to get out in-between fits of raucous laughter.
In between the guffaws, Du Plessis-Allan manages to address the very silent Izzy.
'Izzy, come on mate!.... Are you serious?... Are you serious Izzy?... You went to Fiji?' Du Plessis-Allan gasps.
'Are you serious Izzy?... Are you still there?'
Izzy interrupts.
'It's pretty ironic but to be honest it's not really a trip I wanted to go on but I can't really get out of it,' the teenager says as Du Plessis-Allan continues to chortle in the background.
'Why'd you go?' Du Plessis-Allan interrogates.
'Because my parents wanted to go. I didn't want to go,' Izzy replies.
'Are you embarrassed your parents did that to the
