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AUSTRALIA’s national broadcaster, the ABC, has a science unit dominated by a fellow called Robyn Williams. Mr Williams is an advocate for the campaign against global warming and has even suggested on air that sea levels could rise by 100 metres in the next century; the United Nation’s IPCC suggested at worst just 59cms. [1]  Mr Williams is also on the public record indicating something verging on contempt for meteorologist and climate change sceptic Bill Kininmonth.[2] 

It may be difficult for those journalists at the ABC who want to ensure the alternative perspective is put on contentious and highly politicised scientific issues like climate change, particularly given Mr Williams standing and very definite opinions.  

On January 22, 2009, ABC reporter Nick Lucchinelli interviewed Bill Kininmonth for an alternative perspective on an article in ‘Nature’ suggesting Antarctica is warming.   Lead author Eric Steig and biologist Barry Brook were also interviewed.   That part of the interview with Mr Kininmonth was subsequently expunged from the transcript and podcast.  [3]   That is, at some point after the broadcast the comment from Mr Kininmonth was edited out of the interview.    At first blush this has all the signs of ABC censorship in favour of the bias of the science unit.   

[Read more…] about Editor Removes Comment by Climate Sceptic (Part 2)

IT is common for Australian academics to publicly express an opinion on climate change including in our newspapers; think Tim Flannery, Ian Lowe and more recently Barry Brook.  

A couple of weeks ago Jon Jenkins, an Adjunct Professor at Bond University, had an opinion piece published by The Australian newspaper.  [1]

The piece was critical of the accepted dogma on anthropogenic global warming with a focus on how global temperatures are recorded and ended with a comment on sustainable development:

“Science is only about certainty and facts. The real question is in acknowledging the end of fossil fuels within the next 200 years or so: how do we spend our research time and dollars?

Do we spend it on ideologically green-inspired publicity campaigns such as emissions-trading schemes based on the fraud of the IPCC, or do we spend it on basic science that could lead us to energy self-sufficiency based on some combination of solar, geothermal, nuclear and renewable sources? The alternative is to go back to the stone age.”

Interestingly Bond University has a new name for its business and IT faculties, The Faculty of Business, Technology & Sustainable Development, but apparently didn’t like Professor Jenkins’ very public opinion on the subject of sustainable development.   For his opinion, Professor Jenkins received an official reprimand from the Bond University Registrar and then was informed last Friday that his adjunct status had been revoked.

No doubt he has contravened some rule or other at the University and no doubt this would have gone unnoticed if Professor Jenkins had a more popular opinion on these most politically charged subjects. 

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Update: January 30, 2009

The university has now clarified its position:

“Dr Jenkins was a member of staff here for some considerable time and resigned to enter the NSW Parliament. Dr Jenkins was asked to keep an association with University as an adjunct but indicated in 2008 that serious health problems would probably prevent him taking an active role. As a result Dr Jenkins was removed from the adjunct staff in 2008.

An administrative oversight resulted in Dr Jenkins not being informed of this change in status.”

That is, an administrative oversight resulted in Dr Jenkins not being informed of his change in status until after he published the controversial opinion piece in The Australian newspaper.

Perhaps if the piece had been more politically correct his name could have just been added back onto the list? 

I understand he has received an apology from the Vice Chancellor for the misunderstanding.  

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Notes and Link

1. The Warmaholics’ Fantasy.  The Australian January 6, 2009.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24876451-7583,00.html

BASED on 933,022 votes cast in 48 categories over seven days of voting winners of The 2008 Weblog Awards have now been announced. 

Veteran political blogger, columnist and author, Andrew Sullivan, won the best blog beating the Huffington Post and others.   Mr Sullivan’s blogs is hosted by the Atlantic magazine.

Climate change sceptic, Anthony Watts, won best Science blog.  Mr Watts, and his team, focus on climate change issues and have a project auditing US weather stations which makes for great visuals and amazing reading. 

I would also like to particularly congratulate Lubos Motl for winning best European blog and Tim Blair for winning best Australian blog.  

Strobist won both the best online community and also best photograph blog.

This blog, www.jennifermarohasy.com/blog , was a finalist in the best online community section and we did well coming in second in our section. 

Much thanks to everyone who voted.