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17 July 2011

The Lord Monckton roadshow

Listen Now - 2011-07-17 |Download Audio - 17072011

The Scottish peer Lord Monckton has been raising hell against the carbon tax in barnstorming rallies and public meetings around the country. But just who is Lord Monckton and who are the forces behind him? Chief amongst them a mysterious group called the Galileo Movement and mining magnate and now media player Gina Rinehart. Reporter Wendy Carlisle.

Editor's note: In the original broadcast on Sunday July 17th, the script said Professor Fred Singer runs the Science and Public Policy Institute, in fact he is the Director of the Science and Environmental Policy Project. We also said Malcolm Roberts introduced Lord Monckton at the Starlight Room at Wests, when it was actually the Bears Club in North Sydney.

Updated transcript dated Tuesday 19th July 2011

Wendy Carlisle: Last week Julia Gillard finally announced the details of the carbon tax. She's got the support of the three independents and the Greens. Barring the unforeseen, a carbon tax of $23 a tonne will come into force on July 1 next year. But that hasn't stopped the public outcry.

Speaker at rally: Many people seem to think the battle's over. It's just starting. The government is shovelling millions -- tens of millions of dollars of your money to misrepresent science, tell any lie, buy any scary headline.

Wendy Carlisle: The headline her opponents want is this one:

Speaker at rally: Axe the tax.

Wendy Carlisle: People are saying the prime minister has broken her word, and they want a new election.

Woman in crowd: We're Australian. A deal's a deal, and she went back on the deal. If we want it we'll vote for it.

Wendy Carlisle: Lord Christopher Monckton has been touring the nation for the last three weeks, attacking the science, the scientists, and the government.

Christopher Monckton: So...Julia, darling, you're next. [Applause, cheering]

Wendy Carlisle: In Sydney's Hyde Park last week, Lord Monckton addressed a crowd of 600. The contempt for the media was palpable.

Christopher Monckton: Excuse me, love, are you here working?

Reporter: That's correct, sir.

Christopher Monckton: As long as you report the truth. Look, I beg your pardon, love, you're just doing your job, OK?

Wendy Carlisle: This is Lord Monckton's second visit to Australia in the last 12 months. In the last half dozen years he's become something of a celebrity sceptic, touring the States and Canada, and here in Australia his tour is supported by a handful of powerful people and groups. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart, Andrew Bolt, the Institute of Public Affairs, and the Climate Sceptics party.

In February this year a new group emerged: the Galileo movement. Its scientific advisers are the who's who of the international climate sceptics movement. Its patron is the powerful Sydney radio personality Alan Jones. The Galileo movement is aiming to kill the carbon tax, and it's aiming to do this through attacking the science of climate change.

Christopher Monckton: Alan, I've never heard such a wonderful introduction. God bless you, and how nice to be on your program again.

Wendy Carlisle: In the last few months, Alan Jones has interviewed just about every member of the Galileo movement. Only infrequently does he tell his listeners that he is the movement's patron.

Alan Jones: It's a terrible word to use, but treason is a violation of an individual's necessary allegiance to one's nation. This behaviour borders on the treasonous. What on earth is Julia Gillard trying to do to our nation and to our economy. Well may Sydney's Daily Telegraph correctly proclaim on the front page today: 'Give us a say. Voters demand an early election.

Wendy Carlisle: Lord Christopher Monckton is a controversial figure. He was adviser to Margaret Thatcher and advocated the quarantining of people with HIV. He's got a degree in classics, and finds himself scientific adviser to the US-based climate sceptic group the Science and Public Policy Institute,

Last month Lord Monckton made news when he compared the views of the government's former climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut, to fascism. The fact that he was filmed doing so, standing next to a swastika, didn't help. In Perth, when Lord Monckton was preparing to deliver the Lang Hancock Memorial Lecture, academics petitioned Notre Dame University to cancel the talk. They were unsuccessful. But a number of venues, including some German clubs, decided to cancel his bookings. Lord Monckton decries this as censorship.

Christopher Monckton: Now when you get that sort of behaviour, let us remember where that sort of behaviour last happened. It happened in the 1930s in central and western Europe in a country called Germany. That kind of breaking up of meetings, silencing of opponents for prevention of free speech, that is a hallmark of -- and I am proud to use the word loud and clear -- fascism. [Cheering] And that is what your ABC now represents.

Wendy Carlisle: Lord Monckton is furious at the coverage of his tour by the ABC. But his real rage is directed at scientists. So to the bogus scientists who have produced the bogus science that invented this bogus scare I say, we are coming after you. We are going to prosecute you, and we are going to lock you up. [Cheering]

Wendy Carlisle: Lord Monckton landed in Perth three weeks ago. His first engagement was as keynote speaker at the Australian Mining Industry conference in Perth. And on the question, who bankrolled the tour, he says he doesn't know.

Wendy Carlisle: Who is funding your tour?

Christopher Monckton: Ah, that's very easy to answer: I have no idea.

Wendy Carlisle: And so who paid for your airfare out here?

Christopher Monckton: I have no idea because all of that I never ask.

Wendy Carlisle: On Background Briefing this week we're on the trail of Lord Monckton's barnstorming tour of Australia, as he attacks the science of climate change and the carbon tax. Hello, I'm Wendy Carlisle.

Lord Monckton's first visit to Australia was initiated by two Noosa retirees. They approached mining magnate Gina Rinehart for support. And according to a local Noosa paper, Gina Rinehart kicked in the speaker's fee and offered to manage ticket sales to his lectures through her Perth office. Gina Rinehart declined to be interviewed for this program, but Case Smit, the Noosa retiree who organised the first tour, did agree to an interview. He couldn't say for sure who he thought was bankrolling Lord Monckton's tour this year, but he had some idea.

Case Smit: Well bringing him out from Britain I believe was Gina Rinehart's initiative, because she had him give the Lang Hancock Memorial Lecture in Fremantle last night.

Wendy Carlisle: And do you know whether she was instrumental in getting him to be the keynote speaker at the Mining Industry conference in Perth?

Case Smit: I don't know, but she's obviously a major figure in the mining industry, so it is very likely.

Wendy Carlisle: And what about the corporate sector, are they throwing in money for Lord Monckton as well?

Case Smit: Yes and no.

Wendy Carlisle: Yes and no?

Case Smit: Yes and no. Very minor. Yes.

Wendy Carlisle: Are these mining industry companies?

Case Smit: I can't say.

Wendy Carlisle: Gina Rinehart has been one of the most vocal opponents of the government's proposed super profits tax, and last year she and Andrew Forrest from Fortescue Metals famously took to the back of a ute with a loudhailer, hailing down the tax. Both were big donors to the TV campaign which eventually caused the government to back down.

Gina Rinehart is equally opposed to the carbon tax. Opening one of her new coal mines in Queensland's Bowen Basin a few weeks ago, Gina Rinehart, who has now taken a stake in the Ten Network, took aim at what she called the left-wing media.

Gina Rinehart: Now left-wing media doesn't like me directing attention to the MRRT (Mineral Resource Rent Tax) and carbon tax and why they're bad for Australia's future, and argues I've already got enough money and why should I dare to greedily advocate no MRRT and no carbon tax for my own self-benefit. Because I'll tell you something, and that is: if our costs get too high in Australia, Asia will buy elsewhere.

Wendy Carlisle: Gina Rinehart wants to kill the carbon tax, and having Lord Monckton in town saying the science of climate change is bogus certainly helps. Lord Monckton's argument that scientists are divided on the science is essential if you want to destroy public support for addressing climate change.

Christopher Monckton: There is no consensus about the one question that really matters in the debate about the science of climate, and that is how much warming are we going to get if, by the end of this century, we roughly double the amount of carbon dioxide that is now in the atmosphere.

Wendy Carlisle: It's the seeding of doubt about the science of climate change which fascinates historians of science like Professor Naomi Oreskes. She says the creation of doubt is the hallmark of those who wish to stall reform on controversial issues like climate change. Her book Merchants of Doubt explains how the tobacco industry combined forces with scientists who attested that the link between smoking and cancer was unproven.

Naomi Oreskes: And of course the strategy was in many ways rather brilliant, because much of what they said was technically true. Cancer is an extremely difficult, complicated disease. Science is complicated. Nothing in science is ever proven absolutely positively. So they didn't exactly lie most of the time. Sometimes they actually did lie but most of the time they didn't lie. In fact one industry memo even says, 'Don't lie, you don't have to.' But they sow the seeds of doubt. And they do this because they realise that most reasonable people, if they think it's proven scientifically that tobacco is hazardous, then they'll try to quite. But if they think the jury's still out, then a lot of people will say, well, you know, I kind of like smoking, and if the scientists aren't even sure anyway, why should I quit if we don't even know anyway?

Wendy Carlisle: Naomi Oreskes, who, incidentally, is a former exploration geologist with Western Mining Corporation, says the strategy of creating doubt, first between cancer and tobacco, is now being employed in this current debate on climate change.

Naomi Oreskes: And in the book then we demonstrate how the same strategy is applied -- in some cases by the exact same people -- over the course of three decades to cast doubt on the science related to a whole set of issues, including acid rain, ozone hole, and now leading up the issue of global climate change.

Wendy Carlisle: As the political uncertainty around a carbon tax mounted, the government's stocks nosedived in the polls. The Galileo Movement was launched.

Alan Jones [archival]: Launching right now at this hour, the Galileo Movement. The aim of the Galileo Movement from Australia's point of view is to stop the carbon dioxide tax for ever.

Wendy Carlisle: Jones declared himself patron of the movement. He told his listeners that they'd chosen the name Galileo because, like Galileo, they were fighting religious dogma over science. In this case, the religion of climate change.

Alan Jones [archival]: Galileo is the father of science. And Italian physicist, a mathematician, an astronomer and a philosopher. He played vital role in the scientific revolution. He almost lost his life standing publicly against authority to ensure that objective science replaced superstition, ideology, ignorance and state control.

Wendy Carlisle: The Galileo Movement's number one jersey is worn by Lord Monckton.

Hi, I'm Wendy Carlisle from the ABC.

Christopher Monckton: Oh yes, very nice to see you, yes. You're expected, absolutely. Now I've just got to deal with all the technical stuff and I'll be back in five minutes. Is that all right?

Wendy Carlisle: Yes, that'd be great.

On State of Origin's finals night he bounced on to the stage of the Wests Leagues Club in Newcastle. It wasn't the best night to host a public lecture, but that didn't stop a few hundred from turning out.

Woman from crowd: Well, I never, ever thought of it until it was all brought up from the pollies. You know what I mean? I mean years ago it was we're going to all perish because we're going to freeze to death. Now it's warming up. So where do we stand on this issue? That's the way I see it. Where's the real truth? Where's the truth?

Wendy Carlisle: As show time approached, Lord Monckton made himself available for a few quick words.

Lord Monckton, are you seeing a lot of people you know here?

Christopher Monckton: There's quite a few who came last time, and are very sweet to come again, which shows that there are gluttons for punishment everywhere. Or as one of the US presidents said, you can fool some of the people all the time.

Wendy Carlisle: And so who paid for your airfare out here?

Christopher Monckton: I have no idea, because all of that I never ask, because what I say has to be entirely free of any connection to someone having paid me to say it. And as far as expenses and so on, on a trip like this, I leave it to those who organise it. They organise it, they find the funds, or borrow them, or put their houses up to mortgage which is what happened last time.

Wendy Carlisle: Because there have been some reports that Gina Rinehart brought you out here.

Christopher Monckton: Well I think that's extremely unlikely. You know how careful most of the mining magnates who are at all prominent have to be, in this no longer particularly free country, to be seen to do any such thing. In the old days they could have done such a thing quite cheerfully and nobody would have batted an eyelid and everybody would have understood that if their workers' jobs were as directly under threat as they now are, that would have been a perfectly acceptable thing to do. But not these days. And so I very much doubt whether she had anything to do with it, and that is a question, in any case, for her and not for me.

Wendy Carlisle: Well, it's very difficult to find out who is actually backing your tour, so I thought it would be a great idea to talk to you.

Christopher Monckton: Look around you. Si monumentum requiris circumspice.

Wendy Carlisle: I'm sorry, what did you just say?

Christopher Monckton: Si monumentum requiris circumspice. It is the obituary slab in St Paul's Cathedral for Sir Christopher Wren. If you want a monument, look about you. These are the people who have paid for it. Notwithstanding the rather clumsy attempts by a group which began planning this some months ago, and I began getting wind of it, that they were going to try to bully venues into not allowing free speech in Australia.

Wendy Carlisle: I think the German clubs decided to cancel your speaking engagements because of your reference to Ross Garnaut as being a fascist.

Christopher Monckton: Is that what they've told you?

Wendy Carlisle: Well that's what's being reported in the paper. They couldn't countenance you given that you stood in front of a swastika.

Christopher Monckton: I see. And so let me just get this clear. You said that it's been reported that I compared Ross Garnaut to a fascist?

Wendy Carlisle: Correct.

Christopher Monckton: I did no such thing. I suggest you listen to the tape and think again.

Wendy Carlisle: Why did you apologise?

Christopher Monckton: I apologised because even the slightest suggestion that one of his opinions was a fascist opinion is, these days, regarded as intolerable in circles other than the particular circle to which I addressed it. And it shouldn't have gone out from there, but somehow it did. And of course, in those circumstances the only thing to do...

Wendy Carlisle: So was your apology genuine?

Christopher Monckton: It's always genuine.

Wendy Carlisle: Thank you very much. I think you've got to get up on stage.

As the crowd filed in to the Starlight Room, Jo Nova, author of a booklet called The Sceptics' Handbook, took to the stage.

Jo Nova: Welcome to the Orwellian world of climate in wonderland.

Wendy Carlisle: With a science degree from ANU, Jo Nova said the traditional way that scientific knowledge is advanced, through peer review, is broke.

Jo Nova: And we sceptics are not calling for anyone to be silenced. Let the other side speak and let the best argument win. But give us a chance to give people the other side of the story.

Wendy Carlisle: Science, she argued, should be put on trial. Knowledge should be advanced through prosecution and defence, and then the public -- or the jury -- would be free to reach their own verdict.

Jo Nova: A trial without a defence is a sham, ladies and gentlemen. We all know that business without competition is a monopoly and it's wrong. And science without debate is propaganda. Thank you. [Applause]

Wendy Carlisle: The argument was an intriguing one. Was Jo Nova really saying that the public should decide what was scientific true or untrue?

[To Jo Nova] You're saying that peer-reviewed science is broken.

Jo Nova: Yes. Which doesn't mean that all peer-reviewed science is bad, but the system is unreliable. It's not a proper audit.

Wendy Carlisle: OK, so what you're calling for is more of a public debate about science. Is that how you believe it should get sorted?

Jo Nova: Yes, absolutely, a public debate, yes. Put all the facts forward. Let the public decide. Explain them well. We need documentaries going both ways.

Wendy Carlisle: So is it a kind of like science settled in the town square?

Jo Nova: In as much as it relates to public policy, yes, absolutely. People should be aware of how uncertain it is, of how much evidence is suggesting that we don't need to worry about carbon dioxide.

Wendy Carlisle: But what I'm trying to get at is do you think that people should be able to decide the truth about science through a kind of town square debate. Is that how you think it ought to get sorted?

Jo Nova: No, I think we need much better than that. I think we need real science journalists putting both sides of the story forward, so that when there's a headline about Arctic ice being at record lows, there's also headlines about Antarctic ice being at record highs, so the public gets some -- over the years -- gets some sense of what points matter and what points don't matter.

Wendy Carlisle: Professor Naomi Oreskes says science isn't a matter of public opinion.

Naomi Oreskes: Sometimes we see them raising issues that scientists have actually already examined. Scientists know that it's rubbish but ordinary people say, 'Oh, well that's an interesting point.' So it's in their interests to take the arguments out of the scientific community and bring them in to the town square. And that is a major part of their strategy: how they keep the debate alive, how they get journalists involved, how they get journalists to quote them, because no scientist would quote them because scientists know that these arguments are by and large invalid, but ordinary folks, and many journalists, don't know that.

Wendy Carlisle: On stage at his North Sydney lecture, the Galileo movement's Malcolm Roberts was preparing to introduce Lord Monckton to the crowd, and he began with a familiar chant

Malcolm Roberts: Axe the...

Crowd Tax.

Malcolm Roberts: Love the...

Crowd: Planet.

Malcolm Roberts: Guard our...

Crowd: Freedom.

Malcolm Roberts: The next speaker generated quite a bit, hasn't he? Broncos -- cancelled. A club known for its integrity and courage, pulled the pin after they were got at. Fifty academics trying to protect who knows what? Scared. And the media: have you had a look at those academics? The ABC keep parading advocates on the TV and the radio who have been guilty of misrepresenting the science. Control. Why do people control? Underneath control there is fear. Why would you be afraid of a man who's done so much research? I'll tell you why you'd be afraid. He's got a long list of qualifications, a long list of proven successes. You can Google them and have a look.

Listen to this, though. He's respectful of other. I've watched him clean up someone absolutely in a debate in Brisbane. Entirely respectful, gracious in victory. I want to introduce to you a man, very strong in character; very strong and knowledgeable. I welcome Viscount Monckton of Brenchley.

Christopher Monckton: My lords! That's me. Ladies and gentlemen. G'day! I'm back! [Applause]

Wendy Carlisle: And back he was. Lord Monckton stood in a spotlight, behind him a giant hot pink version of the British parliament's portcullis, which he says he can legitimately use because he is a member of the House of Lords

But just yesterday the House of Lords warned Lord Monckton that this assertion was false.

In a letter from Clerk of the Parliaments David Beamish, Lord Monckton was requested to cease and desist with this claim.

The letter said Lord Monckton is not and never has been a member of the House of Lords.

A self described comic and an entertainer, Lord Monckton's enormous PowerPoint of cartoons and graphs and polar bears is a giant satire on Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth.

Christopher Monckton: Well here are the polar bears we mentioned earlier, and Gore for once actually cites a scientific paper. He cites it wrong, of course, but he does cite it. And what he says is a scientific study shows for the first time they're finding polar bears that have drowned swimming long distances to find the ice. And so here is the actual map from the paper. Four dead polar bears. Oo-er. Golly gosh. Shiver, shiver. Hold the front page. And what have we got, in fact? Four dead polar bears. Did any of these polar bears, according to the paper he was quoting, die because they were trying to find the ice -- or, I should say -- farnd the arse. No. They died because there was a big storm with high winds and high waves, and they got swamped. Or, as we scientists call it, shit happens. [Crowd laughs]

So there's no basis, at any point, for Al Gore's story. It was complete fiction from start to finish.

Wendy Carlisle: The scientific paper Lord Monckton cites does not say that the polar bears drowned because of a big storm. The paper suggests that the polar bears most likely drowned because there was less sea ice for them to seek refuge on because of climate change, and that the drowned polar bears could be statistically significant. The paper goes on to say 'We further suggest that drowning-related deaths of polar bears may increase in the future if the observed trend of regression of pack-ice and/or longer open water periods continues.'

Lord Monckton is not one to let the facts stand in the way of a show.

Christopher Monckton: And here's a further evidence of this, because in those parts of the Arctic where the temperature on the left had got warmer -- in this case red means getting warmer, which is a fairly normal use of it -- then on the right the polar bear populations increased; where it got cooler, in blue, they decreased. So this appears to suggest that the polar bears quite like warmer weather. Why would that be? Because they evolved from black bears who came from the land and they are warm-blooded creatures, just like us. If the Arctic gets warmer they're just gonna love it. They're gonna have a ball. [Crowd laughs]

Wendy Carlisle: The evidence that Lord Monckton cites for polar bears having a ball in warmer weather was a report produced by Greenpeace in 2002. Trouble is, the report doesn't say what Lord Monckton says it says. It's not temperature per se that's the primary concern for polar bears, but sea ice loss. Here's a reading from that report.

Reading from 2002 Greenpeace Report: Polar bears in Hudson Bay are being impacted by climate change. As sea ice is being reduced in the area the polar bears' basis for survival is being threatened.'

Wendy Carlisle: And the show continued like this for another 50 minutes, with Lord Monckton repeatedly misconstruing the scientific evidence.

Christopher Monckton: Because Al Gore says in his movie that because of the melting of two ice sheets, Greenland and the West Antarctic, sea level is going to rise by 20 feet, imminently. But in fact the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) says that because of those two ice sheets the amount of contribution to sea level rise will be, over the whole of the next 100 years six centimetres, which is two and a half inches; not 610 centimetres, which is 20 feet.

So there is a hundredfold exaggeration by Al Gore. 'I'm gonna do this big, baby!'

Wendy Carlisle: On this occasion the exaggerations cut both ways. Yes, Al Gore did overstate his case, but Lord Monckton's assertion, that the UN's climate change panel says seas will only rise by six centimetres this century, is pure fiction. According to chapter five of its report on sea levels, the sea is expected to rise between 20 and 50 centimetres this century.

The Galileo Movement, which refuses to reveal who its donors are, citing privacy, claims to have a board of 'independent scientific advisers'. Amongst them David Archibald, a Perth-based geologist. Like many in the Galileo Movement David Archibald is convinced that the climate change the earth is witnessing is not caused by humans but by the sun.

David Archibald: Now what really drives climate is solar activity. And another thing I'm famous for is that I predicted that these two next solar cycles -- or the current solar cycle 24 and the next one, 25, would be a repeat of the Dalton Minimum from 1798 to 1822 -- solar cycles five and six, which were quite weak and resulted in a temperature decline in the mid latitudes of the order of two degrees centigrade, and thus the Thames freezing over in winter and all that sort of thing.

Wendy Carlisle: When you say that you're quite famous for predicting that, where are you famous for that?

David Archibald: Well, basically in the climate science community.

Wendy Carlisle: The Galileo Movement doesn't disclose that David Archibald is a resources entrepreneur with a number of oil exploration licenses in the West. He's been a CEO and director of companies Oilex and Westgold Resources, and he has a company called Backreef Oil. In 2007 David Archibald published an article in a small journal called Energy and Environment.

David Archibald: The editor of that particular edition, which is Bob Foster, who lives in Queenscliff, Victoria.

Wendy Carlisle: He was the guest editor, was he? How do you know him?

David Archibald: I've known him since the mid-80s when he was involved in BHP Petroleum.

Wendy Carlisle: David Archibald's article, called 'Solar Cycle 24', was actually commissioned by Bob Foster, one of the founding members of the Lavoisier Group, which was established to oppose the Kyoto Treaty. Amongst its founders is major Liberal donor Hugh Morgan, and Ray Evans of Western Mining Corporation, who called climate change 'the mother of all scares'. David Archibald claims his article was peer reviewed. But it's not something he's terribly worried about.

David Archibald: I wouldn't worry about peer review. Anybody can get their stuff peer-reviewed. I wouldn't actually be hung up on it, Wendy. What's the gold standard is when your research is replicated by someone else. And thankfully my research has now been replicated by three Norwegian scientists who were publishing in a physics journal with that prediction of a .9 degree temperature decline for the northern hemisphere.

Wendy Carlisle: What peer-reviewed journal is that?

David Archibald: I have no idea yet. It'll have to come out. I might email them soon and find out how things are going.

Wendy Carlisle: David Archibald is also involved in the Coal-to-Liquid Association, which aims to promote the conversion of coal to liquid fuel. Background Briefing asked David Archibald what his involvement is.

David Archibald: Um, very nascent I'm afraid, Wendy.

Wendy Carlisle: Well, can you elaborate on that, because the Coal-to-Liquid Association is registered at your personal home address.

David Archibald: That's right. Um, I believe that coal to liquids is going to be a big industry in Australia once the carbon tax is dead; that Australia's running out of oil very rapidly; we're going to be scrambling to get oil to run our farms and factories on. We have plenty of coal here which can make liquid fuels at between $80 and $100 a barrel and that's quite commercial now.

Wendy Carlisle: He doesn't see a conflict of interest.

David Archibald: What I'm driven by is trying to do the right thing by Australia, in the first instance. And secondly, it's intellectual curiosity.

Wendy Carlisle: OK, but if a carbon tax is brought in, your dream about converting coal to liquid would be affected, wouldn't it?

David Archibald: No, not really. The carbon tax won't last very long, if it is brought in, because Australia's going to face a enormous oil supply crisis.

Wendy Carlisle: David Archibald says his passion for advocating an alternative fuel in the event of an energy crisis has nothing to do with his climate scepticism.

David Archibald: Wendy, how long are you going to spend on trying to get me to admit to some personal interest, financial commercial interest beyond a purely, well, beyond the scientific enquiry that I'm involved in and the science of what I've done.

Wendy Carlisle: A few years back, David Archibald gave a speech at a Lavoisier Group conference and it made for interesting reading.

David Archibald: I'm a member of the Lavoisier Group.

Wendy Carlisle: You gave a speech at, I think, a conference a couple of years ago now and -- can I quote? -- 'My reward for this work, as it is for every member of the Lavoisier society, will be in heaven. For the forces of darkness control the science journals, government departments, public institutes and universities.'

Did you say that?

David Archibald: Yes, I did, and I'm quite proud of it, thank you. And thank you for bringing it up for your listeners.

Wendy Carlisle: His motive, he says, is truth.

David Archibald: For people on our side, there is no financial reward; we're all doing it out of love for country and love of humanity and all that sort of thing.

Wendy Carlisle: Do you believe that the 'forces of darkness' are running universities?

David Archibald: Yes, I do.

Wendy Carlisle: The 'forces of darkness' are running science journals?

David Archibald: Yes, I do.

Wendy Carlisle: Government departments?

David Archibald: Yes, I do.

Wendy Carlisle: Public institutes?

David Archibald: Yes, I do.

Wendy Carlisle: Who are the forces of darkness?

David Archibald: Those who wish a carbon-constrained economy on Australia.

[Music]

Wendy Carlisle: Amongst the other scientific advisors to the Galileo Movement is a retired Canadian academic, Professor Timothy Ball.

Alan Jones [archival]: Professor Ball is fighting to keep scientific integrity alive. Julia Gillard's government is a mouthpiece for scientific untruth. Professor Timothy Ball is on the line. Professor Ball, good morning.

Professor Timothy Ball [from archival interview]: Good morning, Alan and thanks for the opportunity...

Wendy Carlisle: During the interview, on Sydney's 2GB, Alan Jones did not disclose to his listeners that he is the patron of the Galileo Movement.

Professor Timothy Ball [from archival interview]: So that you were attacked like I was, 'Oh, you're paid by the oil companies,' and all these other things.

Wendy Carlisle: Professor Ball came to prominence after his role in the BBC's Great Global Warming Swindle. In that film and in dozens of newspaper articles, media appearances and lectures, Professor Ball asserts that he was a professor in the department of climatology at the University of Winnipeg, Canada. The only problem with that is that there is no department of climatology at the University of Winnipeg. In an interview with Background Briefing, Professor Ball disputed this.

Professor Timothy Ball: As I explained to you, that's not true! You took that off the internet. You took that off the internet.

Wendy Carlisle: No, Background Briefing received that information from the university itself. In email correspondence, which we'll post on our website, the university says, 'there is not and never has been a department of climatology'.'

Professor Timothy Ball: And they say, 'Oh, there was no climate department.' Yes there was. I had a complete lab, a separate office two floors up from the geography department on the seventh floor of the building.

Wendy Carlisle: The University of Winnipeg confirmed to Background Briefing that Professor Ball has been a professor in the geography department. Professor Ball disagrees.

Professor Timothy Ball: And then, and today, that department of climatology is not there. It was there and it folded when I left. And I took over from Professor Bell, who set it up and I helped him set it up. And I took over when he left to go to work with the, ah, State of Georgia as a climatologist.

Wendy Carlisle: Professor Timothy Ball has never published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal on the topic of human contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Alan Jones [archival]: Now, I want to say to my listeners, I'm talking to one of the world's most eminent climate scientists, acknowledged as such. Do these figures mean that CO2 is nothing more than an aberration and does it mean that human beings couldn't possibly be upsetting the balance?

Professor Timothy Ball: Well, yes.

Wendy Carlisle: You're listening to Background Briefing on ABC Radio National. I'm Wendy Carlisle.

A few weeks ago, a representative of the Galileo Movement contacted Background Briefing to offer another climate sceptic for us to interview. They suggested Dr Wes Allen, a GP from the Tweed Shire who'd written a book criticising Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers for being alarmist and unreliable.

Wes Allen: I've always had a passion for truth and justice and objectivity, absolute passion for science, and I see that potentially science could be the casualty of an alarmism that if it becomes too rampant could reflect very badly, in the future, on science itself.

Wendy Carlisle: While Dr Allen doesn't necessarily dispute the science behind human-induced climate change, where he parts company is on the question of action.

Wes Allen: Well, first of all I don't have any quibble with the scientists who say that the globe is warming and that human activity has got a part to play in that. The scientists who then go on to say that we must do something, otherwise there's going to be catastrophe, they're scientists who've left science and become advocates.

Wendy Carlisle: Dr Allen references some of his criticisms of Tim Flannery to Professor Fred Singer, who's another advisor to the Galileo Movement.

Wes Allen: I don't know Fred Singer personally. I've read some of his articles and he's certainly published quite a few papers in peer-reviewed journals. He's been well respected from his scientific perspective.

Wendy Carlisle: But you would be aware, would you not, that he was one of those scientists to basically cast doubt on the link between smoking and cancer?

Wes Allen: Yes, I've read that.

Wendy Carlisle: You're a GP. That would appal you, surely.

Wes Allen: It would appal me, yes, if he'd done research that was deceptive.

Wendy Carlisle: Dr Allen says that even if Professor Singer had contrarian views on the link between cancer and smoking, that does not mean he should be dismissed on climate change.

Wes Allen: If a scientist comes out and expresses opinions that he didn't think there's a relationship, well he's entitled to that opinion. That does not mean that every bit of research that that person does has no basis or validity. And particularly it doesn't say that he has no scientific credibility in the area of climate.

Wendy Carlisle: Professor Singer didn't respond to requests for an interview.

Someone who has closely followed the career of Professor Fred Singer is Naomi Oreskes.

Naomi Oreskes: Fred Singer is the most extraordinary, he has had the most extraordinary career, because he has essentially made a profession out of doubt-mongering. I sometimes think of him as being a serial contrarian. So this is a man who has challenged the scientific evidence of the harms of second-hand smoke; in the 1990s he worked with the Philip Morris tobacco company -- and there are many, many documents that attest to this -- he denies it in public but the historical documentation is overwhelmingly... overwhelming to demonstrate that this is factually correct. He challenged the scientific evidence relating to acid rain, tried to minimise it. He cast doubt on the science related to the ozone hole.

Wendy Carlisle: In our Sunday broadcast we said Professor Fred Singer ran the Science and Public Policy Institute. That was incorrect. In fact Professor Singer founded the Science and Environmental Policy Project, which these days has switched its attention from tobacco, acid rain and the ozone hole to climate change.

Naomi Oreskes: And over the last ten years or so, he's been deeply involved in challenging the scientific data related to climate change. Again in our book we tell the story of an extremely vicious, hostile and completely unprincipled attack that he and two other scientists launched against Ben [Santer], who's one of the scientists that really did the critical work that demonstrates that climate change is caused by human activity, it's not natural variation; this is some of the most important scientific work of the twentieth century. Singer attacked the work; he attacked the man; he launched attacks not in the scientific literature, but in places like the Wall Street Journal. He said things that were demonstrably false and other scientists tried to refute it, showed how his claims were false. He said them again. But it doesn't stop him. He just goes on and on and on and on and on.

So given his track record of opposing science, no one argues anymore about tobacco, right? No one argues anymore about the ozone hole. In every one of these cases, we've seen that his previous position was not correct; it was not on the side of science.

Wendy Carlisle: The day Julia Gillard secured the support of the independents and the Greens for the carbon tax, Lord Monckton fronted another rally in Sydney's Hyde Park. Someone had hoisted an Australian flag and the banners read, 'No Carbon Tax'. There was the 'Ditch the Witch' image: Julia Gillard on a broomstick. The rally had been organised by a group called nocarbontax.com. The Galileo Movement's Malcolm Roberts told the crowd that the ABC was out to silence Lord Monckton.

Malcolm Roberts [sound from the rally]: Why is the ABC avoiding him? And that's your money going to spend on the ABC.

Man in crowd [sound from the rally]: Sell the bloody thing!

Malcolm Roberts [sound from the rally]: Why are they afraid? Because it's controlled and underneath control there is fear; fear that you will think.

Lord Christopher Monckton [sound from the rally]: So they thought that they could silence me by trying to pull the plug.

Wendy Carlisle: Lord Monckton said his treatment by protest groups like GetUp!, the clubs that had cancelled his appearances, and the ABC, were an attack on his free speech.

Lord Christopher Monckton [sound from the rally]: Will we let them?

Crowd [sound from the rally]: No!

Lord Christopher Monckton [sound from the rally]: Will we let them?

Crowd [sound from the rally]: No!

Lord Christopher Monckton [sound from the rally]: Will we let them?

Crowd [sound from the rally]: No! Mongrels!

Lord Christopher Monckton [sound from the rally]: What we have here is naked, left-wing, political interference in the right of somebody who is invited to your country to speak freely at various venues all round the country. Now when you get that sort of behaviour, let us remember where that sort of behaviour last happened. It happened in the 1930s in Central and Western Europe in a country called Germany. [Crowd applauds and cheers]

That kind of breaking up of meetings, silencing of opponents, for prevention of free speech, that is a hallmark of -- and I am proud to use the word loud and clear -- fascism! [Crowd applauds and cheers]

And that is what your ABC now represents. [Crowd applauds and cheers]

Let me tell you how they have treated me since I came here. First of all, you may have heard the interview with somebody who I believe is called Adam Spencer. [Crowd boos] He was not very polite, was he?

Crowd: No!

Lord Christopher Monckton: He did at least have the courtesy to apologise the following afternoon and I'm grateful for that. And yesterday, for the second time, an appalling woman called Wendy Carlisle appeared and she started asking deliberately offensive questions until in the end I said, 'Madam, if you're going to be deliberately offensive, you can go and ask your questions to somebody else. [Crowd applauds and cheers]

And on top of that, a TV crew who first of all said they were from ABC and then they said they were making a program for ABC, turned up in my hotel room to interview me. And it became clear after a bit that the interview was a spoof and I believe this is for some program called The Chaser...

Woman in the crowd [sound from the rally]: Are you from the ABC, dear?

Wendy Carlisle: Yes I am.

Woman in the crowd: Yes, I saw your ... You'll just ... from this. Yeah, enjoy.

Lord Christopher Monckton: ...and that is just four incidents in less than a week in which the ABC has shown its credentials as supporters of utilitarianism, socialism and of fascism.

[Crowd chants, 'ABC, ABC']

Wendy Carlisle: As Lord Monckton spoke, I stood in the crowd not far from the stage, my microphone held high to catch his words. My ABC ID badge was clearly visible and a young man in the crowd turned and started to point at me and mouth, 'A-B-C'. It was then that people started to deliberately push me.

Lord Christopher Monckton: ...not interested in giving people a fair go. So I do have a message for your Liberal and National coalition...

[Sound of crowd jostling and taunting Wendy Carlisle as Lord Monckton continues in the background]

Wendy Carlisle: I'm now being jostled by members of the crowd.

Man in crowd: Don't use force against her. Do not touch her! Excuse me, coercive force is the hallmark of...

Wendy Carlisle: I'm now being harassed by people in this crowd...

[Crowd applauds and cheers Lord Monckton]

Men in crowd: Leave this woman alone... Piss off!... Just leave this woman alone... She's free to stand here... She's free to be here...

Wendy Carlisle: I've actually never encountered this in a reporting job ever before.

Announcer: ...Guard our freedom! Our next speaker: come on up, Jo.

[Crowd noise, including, 'Sell the ABC', 'Ditch the witch!', and applause]

Wendy Carlisle: It was a scary few minutes and I decided to leave.

On the website of the UK Independence Party, to which Lord Monckton is deputy leader, there's a long resume outlining his colourful career. It says Lord Monckton has invented a cure for multiple sclerosis, influenza and herpes simplex. During a recent BBC documentary, Lord Monckton went further. He also claimed to have a cure for malaria.

What you're about to hear is an unedited excerpt from that documentary.

Lord Christopher Monckton [from interview]: And then, 18 months ago, I cured myself with an invention which shows much promise where curing people of everything from HIV to malaria to multiple sclerosis. I mean, quite extraordinary. It sounds barking mad when you say it like that...

Wendy Carlisle: As the last people filed out of one of Lord Monckton's lectures and workers cleared the hall, Background Briefing caught up with Lord Monckton to ask about his miracle cures.

Wendy Carlisle: I just wanted to ask Lord Monckton... One question, Lord Monckton.

Lord Christopher Monckton: Yes.

Wendy Carlisle: Um, how is your cure for HIV and malaria and MS going?

Lord Christopher Monckton: Right. No, what I've said was, though I was inaccurately reported by the BBC, that we have found a way which shows promise of treating a wide variety of infections, which may include those but until we've done clinical trials we won't be able to say exactly...

Wendy Carlisle: I've seen you on film saying that you have found a cure for HIV.

Lord Christopher Monckton: Yes, I know you have, and you didn't see what was said immediately after they cut the film. And the complete quotation was, 'Yes, we can cure these things, subject to,' and this is the bit they cut out, 'the clinical trials which will confirm the indicative results we already have on individual patients.' Now it is a very slow...

Wendy Carlisle: And what are these clinical trials?

Lord Christopher Monckton: Clinical trials are what are called...

Wendy Carlisle: I know about those.

Lord Christopher Monckton: ...double-blind, randomised and prospective. Randomised because we choose two groups who fit into certain...

Wendy Carlisle: Where can I find out information about that?

Lord Christopher Monckton: ...criteria and then at random, one group is the control sample and one group is the sample that will have the thing tried on.

Wendy Carlisle: Yes, where can I get some information about your trials?

Lord Christopher Monckton: Well, once they're published is the traditional place for that and they will be published in due...

Wendy Carlisle: Where are they being conducted?

Lord Christopher Monckton: We don't know yet. We have offers from one, two, three countries and a fourth has just come in. We will then be deciding which parts of the trial go to which countries. And we will then -- I have a very eminent team investigating in the shape of a professor at King's College, London.

We cannot claim that we can cure anything. Yes we have had some very heartening initial successes, but as far as scientific evidence is concerned those successes would merely be counted as what is known as anecdotal evidence. They are pointers to the fact that we might be onto something, but in themselves they are wholly insufficient to constitute proof of the concept.

Wendy Carlisle: Lord Monckton has a company called Resurrexi, which has over the last few years filed patents for his miracle cures with the London Patent Office. It is true, however, that one of the directors of Lord Monckton's company Resurrexi is Professor Klaus-Martin Schulte, a climate sceptic but also endocrinologist and consultant to the King's College Hospital.

Wendy Carlisle: Can you tell me who the scientists are who are working on this?

Lord Christopher Monckton: I could but I'm not going to.

Wendy Carlisle: Why is that?

Lord Christopher Monckton: Because your attitude has been unpleasantly and indeed malevolently hostile throughout and I don't want them pestered.

Wendy Carlisle: OK, thank you very much Lord Monckton, thank you for talking to Background Briefing.

Background Briefing's coordinating producer is Roi Huberman; research from Anna Whitfeld. Our executive producer this week is Joe Gelonesi. You can follow us on Twitter and leave your comments on our web page. I'm Wendy Carlisle and you're listening to ABC Radio National.

Comments (353)

Add your comment

N oons :

21 Jul 2011 8:51:59pm

It is a LIE to state Alan Jones seldom claims to be the Galileo starter: I was listening to his broadcast when he announced it the first time and he made it quite CLEAR that he was behind it. And he's done so almost EVERY DAY since.

STOP THE LIES!

Furthermore:
It is OK for some to try and silence this Monckton character by writing to clubs coercing them to cancel his speeches. But it is not OK for Alan Jones to promote him?

Ever heard that is called BIAS and DISCRIMINATION?

Here in Australia that sort of attitude only earns you two simple words.
The first one starting with the letter "F"!...

STOP THE LIES!

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Margaret Millar :

21 Jul 2011 3:07:29pm

Wendy Carlisle is to be congratulated for her reporting of the Roadshow. She took time to research and to refer back to the actual words and writings of those scientists denigrated by the so called Lord M. His every word was a distortion and deliberate misquote. The man is a fraud. Instead of being laughed out of Australia he has a following of people who are quite abusive. The scene at the rally in Hyde Park was dreadful. The ABC was named as evil and Wendy as an appalling woman. the threat of mob violence was most disturbing. congratulations Wendy -the best piece of brave reporting i have heard for a long time.

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pammo :

20 Jul 2011 6:08:17pm

C Monckton is clearly a clever chap, but why is he so deceptive? There seems to be countless ways in which he has tried to dupe us. During Press Club debate this week, he claimed (in response to being asked why he hasn't submitted his theories to "peer review") that he had his paper published in the APS, and that the editor had reviewed it!!! I can't believe that anyone (in the Press Club room) let him (c. Monckton) get away with claiming that his paper was peer reviewed, just because ONE editor permitted its publication - "one summer does not a summer make". Peer review occurs when one's work is distributed to several key experts in the field who check facts and methodology BEFORE publication.

In actual fact, if one "does ones homework" as the man reiterates over & over, you can see for yourself that C Monckton's paper was published in the APS newsletter, which has the following sentence preceeding the paper "The following article has not undergone any scientific peer review, since that is not normal procedure for American Physical Society newsletters."

Google it for yourself.

It frightens me that this guy is so clever at twisting things that most Australians (who, lets face it, don't have a high level of science literacy) will get sucked in by his seductive ideas.

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Prosper :

20 Jul 2011 5:13:18pm

Labogangreen is getup cancer just as Bill Shorten is Getup garbage.
Can't expect better from that rabble because they pretend that Australians are too dumb and they the rabble know better what is good for us.

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jm :

20 Jul 2011 4:46:55pm

Well done Wendy and your team. Your report on Monckton was excellent. It's essential that he is revealed for the fraud that he appears to be. I'd like to know who is really funding his exploits.

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Robert :

20 Jul 2011 2:03:16pm

Monckton was interviewed on the ABC's Counterpoint program on 25 January 2010. The transcript is at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/counterpoint/stories/2010/2800684.htm. They gave him every opportunity to have his say. Seems to me the ABC is extremely well balanced in the views it presents.

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pja :

20 Jul 2011 12:53:00pm

Do not trust "Lord" Monckton. He is a notorious liar and fraud, and I should know.

I accompanied "Lord" Monckton on an expedition to re-discover the Lost Shoes of Mantovani.
Legend has it that anyone who's feet they fit is granted powers undreamt of; wealth, good looks and the power to cure all ills.

The expedition was arduous but successful. We unearthed The Shoes after trekking deep into the basement of The Royal Alfred Hall, buried under the tomb of Sir Lawrence of Arabia.

After uttering the words "hoc totum rudera", the shoes revealed themselves, and were promptly nabbed by "Lord" Monkton, even though they didn't fit him.
"A bit tight, but wearable" as he put it, face bulging.

Well, the rest is history. "Lord" Monkton as ever since limped around the world enlightening and curing all those who came in contact.
It should have been me of course. I'm the true size 44 American.
But lesson learned, thank the "Lord". In this life, there are some people you just can't trust with your shoes.

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Sarah Strickland :

20 Jul 2011 12:49:58pm

Congratulations of one of the best pieces of journalism I've 'enjoyed' in a while.(I put 'enjoyed' in quotes because I was actually appalled and disgusted by what I heard). Who was the man who helped to defend the journalist against the hatred incited by Lord Monkton (Isn't that a crime by the way...inciting violence...)at the rally in ?Adelaide? ?

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Soviet :

20 Jul 2011 8:22:00am

Why should I have to pay and extra $10 a month to "save the planet" from "climate change", I'll tell you why.

When I go to pick my nephew up from school in my 1,500kg falcon I see all the mothers picking their kids up in 2,500 Kilo monstrosities called 4 wheels drives. These things pollute WAY more than even my hotted up falcon. So basically, world lights out day compensates for these grossly consumerist, ignorant morons.

I hear parents saying "we need to save the planet for our kids" when it is these very kids who are helping to destroy it (a western kid uses 5 to 10 times the resources of a kid in a poor country)
I sponsor a child in North Vietnam and all he wanted 2 christmasses ago was a ball, that;s it, just a ball not a playstation 3, xbox, iphone, flat screen TV and all the other things western spoilt brats get...

As doctor David Suzuki said, quoted verbatim, "If you want to save the planet only have one child" and he also stated "If you own an SUV you don't give a damn about the planet"

My bachelor carbon footprint is way smaller than some resource hungry , 4WD that never sees dirt family of 4 or
more
QED

The 1980 edition Encylopedia Brittannica states that the earth is going through an "inter glacial warming period", the piddling 0.8 degree anthropogenic contribution made by man means nothing!

I find it completely and utterly hilarious that the stupid green movement is DIRECTLY responsible for MILLIONS of tonnes more carbon in the atmosphere because they protested against nuclear power back in the eighties before the climate change fad became trendy.....now we burn how many million of tonnes more coal a year ?

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William :

20 Jul 2011 7:49:12am

This is truly the best piece of radio reporting I have heard. Congratulations Wendy and the ABC. We should all be very afraid - shades of Brown Shirts arise.

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Marc Hendrickx :

20 Jul 2011 6:50:44am

Seems Wendy Carlisle has done what no journalist should and that is to become emotionally entangled with her subject. The subsequent lack of objectivity in this report is telling and counter to ABC's editorial policy. The report also contains a number of factual errors. Carlisle's claims about what has been stated in the peer reviewed press regarding polar bears for instance are completely misconstrued.
I pity the ABC complaint's staff who will now be involved to sort out this mess.

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kurt :

19 Jul 2011 11:59:58pm

This debate just gets weirder and weirder. This Lord Muckaboutatonne is one unbelievable fella. Hey ABC, was this report like that Orson Welles radio play "War of the Worlds". Because I find what this bloke and the like ( Allen Jones etc)are espousing, is outrageous. I also find it ironic Allen Jones has called his little club the Galileo movement. Maybe he should call it the BILLIONAIRES HOLY INQUISITION. Did mine ears deceive me, but did I hear reference to a witch. Any way thanks, I found this report highly entertaining. Never ceases to amaze me just how stupid and belligerent some people are.

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Lord Pratt :

19 Jul 2011 10:22:05pm

I am the Lord Prat.. a dear dear friend of this distinguished and renown Lord Monckton .
Now Moncy as mummy dear calls him is impeccably well connected and known in our circles.
He is also well known to be a little bit colourful with the truth he just loves a party and telling his amusing us all his stories.
Only recently he found a cure for some nasty disease like Berri berry it has a lot of swelling. His stories as so awfully funny.
But look do be kind, as he is jolly fun chap at our dinner parties and local church fetes. Be nice, ,ta ta signing off now colonial fellows It time for my nap

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Jo - darwin :

19 Jul 2011 8:32:37pm

I bow at your feet and your microphone Wendy Carlisle and that of your team Roy, Anna and Joe. Congratulations and thank you. Long live RN.

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rickm :

19 Jul 2011 8:29:55pm

Hang in there ABC.Dark forces indeed.Where would we be without our ABC?I remember when Howard tried to destroy you.Abbott might try the same if this sad country is silly enough to elect the mad nodding simpleton .Can't wait to see what The Chaser makes of the ridiculous Monckton.Thank you for yet another brilliant piece of journalism.

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Helen :

19 Jul 2011 8:23:14pm

Listening to the programme, I tried to make fun of this little demagogue but I failed. People like him (and Tony Abbot, for that matter) scare me. It felt even worse when I heard the crowd reaction to his harangue. On the other hand, perhaps he's that hard up that he has to make a living giving these kind of shows. Thanks, RN, I know you want to inform and educate, but aren't you giving people like him too much time?

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Remi Forcet :

19 Jul 2011 8:15:38pm

Mr Monckton describes himself as an entertainer. The very sad thing is that a huge proportion of the australian public does not get his humour. On a serious note, to find someone like him, we need to look back in history to people like Goebbles in Nazi germany who said “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it". This man is dangerous, because he is using the same technique, and all this sponsored by mining magnates! Australians, it is time to react! do not accept that people like these can have power! we need a respectful and ethical governement. ABC readers don't need to understand this but please think: how do we open the minds of ordinary Australians? Brain washing not being an option.

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Reynard :

19 Jul 2011 7:23:07pm

"The Galileo Movement"?

Smells more like Galileo's Last Movement.

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Emir :

19 Jul 2011 7:17:26pm

One day a big meteor will hit the earth, much like it did off Yucatan 65 million years ago and then everyone's going to die. I hope it happens in my lifetime, we're due or another hit...anyway

Global warming isn't 100% caused by man, it's mostly caused by something not one climate change faddist is aware of or has ever mentioned. It's caused an inter-glacial warming period. I find it bemusing that all you anti-nuclear activists have all of a sudden become instant "climate change experts", preaching to everyone with a frenzied religious style fervour. It's very well established that the green movement uses propoganda to achieve a means to an end...I bet none of the descendants of you climate change faddists will be complaining about carbon and rising temperatures in about 20,000 years!

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Chris N :

19 Jul 2011 6:53:34pm

Dear ABC et al,

Would you guys please stop referring to Viscount Moncton as LORD Moncton - he ISN'T a Lord:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2011/july/letter-to-viscount-monckton/

Quote: "‎"I must repeat my predecessor's statement that you are not and have never been a Member of the House of Lords." - David Beamish, Clerk of the Parliaments

Aside from this deception, he's good generally at deception:

http://oneworldgroup.org/2011/06/21/climate-smackdown-lord-monckton-embarrassed-by-a-genuine-sceptic/

By all means believe in scepticism, but not the tripe of this fraud.

CN

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Stephen Harper :

19 Jul 2011 5:18:41pm

I am gobsmacked at the incredibly biased and hostile programme on Lord Monckton by Wendy Carlisle.

The story is full of gratuitous smears and seeks to find an evil motive and outcome under every rock.

We only need to consider whether such a malicious treatment was handed out to say, Lord Stern, or Al Gore, when they visited our shores, by the ABC.

In stark contrast to the full frontal attack on Lord Monckton, the ABC positively fawned all over Stern and Gore. A listen to the Philip Adams' syrupy interview with Lord Stern is a prime example. Adams treated Stern as if he were a god and his utterances god-like.

When Gore visited our shores the ABC parroted all his alarmist claims with never a thought of scrutiny - and nobody blushed. Even once.

Wendy Carlisle attempted to smear Monckton from the outset, casting aspersions right left and centre. Most of her story consisted of gratuitous ad hominem attacks - the refuge of those who will not argue the facts, or in this case, the science.

When poor Wendy did stray into questions of science she embarrassed herself mightily. The paper on the drowning polar bears DID say that they drowned in a storm, no matter how much you lie to the contrary.

Even a justice of the British High court pinged Gore for the lie that the bears drowned due to a lack of pack ice. The issue of climate change and lack of pack ice was merely a speculation in the paper.

And poor Wendy, the IPCC DOES posit a 6cm sea level rise for the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets. The 20-50cm rise you quote is for ALL causes of sea rise (including thermal expansion and the melting of glaciers and ice-caps). You owe Monckton an apology.

You must check your facts. But you are not a scientist are you? Your BA was in Industrial Relations and Sociology. Explains why you are so hopeless at science and are so biased.

As for the rest of it - you have littered your story with wilful misrepresentations - eg Fred Singer argued against SECOND-HAND smoke, not smoking itself.

Much of the rest consisted of gratuitous character assassinations. Of what relevance is it that David Archibald has mining petroleum interests? Did yo ever ask Tim Flannery about his $90m gift from the Australain taxpayer for his geothermal company? Conflict of interest there ??

Did the ABC ever ask Al Gore about his involvement with Geeneration Investment Management which stands to gain millions if renewables are forced on us? Of course not! The ABC is partisan and biased. It is YOUR ABC -left-wing, Not my ABC.

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Windy Willows :

19 Jul 2011 5:06:35pm

Toad of Toad Hall! Thats it!

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D Saunders :

19 Jul 2011 4:21:31pm

Excellent program again. Surely these demagogues with their abuse of freee speech must be held responsible for at least the misrepesentation of facts and surely incitement to violence. There must be some way of restraining these people from such behaviour.

What a pity there was no camera to record the treatment of the ABC reporter. No mention in the press anywhere I could find of this lastest episode by Monkton and his sycophants.

And no way could I express here my disgust and abhorrence of this appalling episode.

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Mark :

19 Jul 2011 4:10:53pm

Im sick of the ABC and other mainstream media in this country doing their utmost to vilify the likes of Monckton who are for the vast majority of Australians, the only voice of reason in this so called climate change/carbon tax debate. The Australian people are awake to the fraud and yet the barrow is still being pushed by the media at the behest of the rich and powerful, who not coincidentally, will make millions from a carbon trading scheme. For shame ABC! For shame!

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dlb :

19 Jul 2011 4:02:56pm

A fair critique of some from the climate sceptic movement.

OK "Background Briefing" now how about turning your investigative talents on the other side. Just for starters try the very shonky Hockey Stick graph, the East Anglia email affair, the so-called IPCC consensus and the failure of computer models to predict the lack of warming seen over the last 12 years. There's enough there for at least 10 shows I would consider.

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Geoff Saunders :

19 Jul 2011 3:49:38pm

Love Alan Jones' explanation of who Galileo was. Naturally he was simply reading something written by someone else. Funny that...'Polly wanna cracker!'

Exactly who Galileo was, what he achieved and its significance would no doubt be news to both Mr Jones and many of the followers of the hilariously named Galileo Movement.

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interested by-stander :

19 Jul 2011 3:10:31pm

For those who have not as yet informed themselves on the reforms to the UN over the last 30 plus years, it maybe a good idea to play catch up.

The notion of a Global Compact is no doubt an anathema to many but taking the precautionary principle, as so many of the AGW crowd recommend, is also advised in this context.

The Road to the Global Compact:

( General Analysis on UN Reform )
Corporate Power And The Battle Over
Global Public Policy at The United Nations1

Ellen Paine

October 2000

http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/225/32188.html

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mandingo :

19 Jul 2011 2:48:48pm

At the just convened National Press Club address, Monckton, curer of aids and fatuously self-described Lord, suggested he was in step with views held by the Royal Society and that we 'should do our homework'. Well I have. I encourage you to do the same:

http://royalsociety.org/Climate-Change/

He's a peddler of made up poppycock. To make it worse, he encourages hate based on falsehoods. Read what the Royal Society have to say and put this charlatan to rest once and for all.

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John C :

19 Jul 2011 2:03:09pm

Alan Jones or the CSIRO ?
The choice is pretty stark.
The CSIRO is, well, the CSIRO. Whereas Aan Jones sponsored Jo Bjelke Peterson for Prime Minister and promoted the Cronulla riot.Jones thrives on fear and prejudice.

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Steve :

19 Jul 2011 2:00:33pm

I'll add my congratulations to Wendy (and her support team) for an excellent programme.

It's interesting that it has been widely reported that overnight the House of Lords in the UK have put out a letter asking Monkton to cease claiming to be a member of the House of Lords.

That apart, I am finding the discussion here reassuring that I am not alone in my view that this incredibly serious discussion has been trivialised and turned into a confrontational fight by people who do not accept the seriousness of the current situation.

I continue to be totally astonished that Monkton (and Abbott) are taken seriously on this matter by such a large proportion of the Australian population. Yes, the parallels with the 1930s are really really scary!

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Geoff Saunders :

19 Jul 2011 12:59:08pm

This man is spreading a conspiracy theory so extravagant that it would make the most unhinged 9/11 crackpot look sane.

Thousands of scientists all over the world deliberately concocting data to deceive governments and the public, and acting in concert to bring down civilisation and establish a communist world government? Or is it just to keep those research megabucks rolling in? (Yes, those research scientists sure are living the high life. 'Oh yeah, baby! That new grant just came in! Get my Mercedes dealer on the blower! Time for a new Benz!')

Really? I mean, REALLY? You folks REALLY believe this howling hogwash?

This widespread denigration of science and learning is utterly without parallel in my lifetime. That it has gained so much traction with vast swathes of the public is profoundly alarming. That it has taken hold of one of our major political parties is catastrophic.

We will live to bitterly regret this lurch into obscurantism and ignorance.

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Keith :

19 Jul 2011 12:39:24pm

Oh the deniers are in a flap. Their prophet has been found wanting. Mockton is a disgrace and warrants this kind of exposure.

To argue, as some in this discussion have, that the science of the IPCC, CSIRO and more than 10,000 individual scientists is inferior to these ravings is borderline delusional.

I can't understand why there's so much hate directed at people who think that $10 a week is a fair and reasonable cost to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

If it's too much to ask polluters to pay a small amount, $23 a tonne of co2 emitted, what is reasonable? Give taxpayer subsidies to the biggest polluters (Abbott's Plan)? I think that will cost me more but Tony seems a bit shy to give the details.

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Bernie Hilst :

19 Jul 2011 11:42:14am

So the Galileo movement is a mysterious organisation is it? So, have the Galileo movement been attempting to stifle freedom of speech like GetUp? Unlike the cowards of GetUp, Galileo actually welcome informed debate on the global warming issue. This is because they ARE informed and base their arguments on verifiable facts, not emotive rhetoric. Also they are an independent organisation, not a secretive arm of a political organisation. It is appropriate that GetUp be afraid. They've been exposed for what they are and they have no argument except to try to dig up dirt on their opponents instead of debating the issue.

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john :

19 Jul 2011 11:31:29am

Wonderful program ABC - measured, analytical and polite. Such a contrast to the way the shock jocks handle this issue

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tony :

19 Jul 2011 11:13:30am

Climate change debate is biased on both sides of the argument. First of all most deniers do not deny that climate change is occuring. The climate has always changed and always
will. Climate change drives evolution
species plant and animal adapt slowly to changing conditions, those that can't adapt die out and are replaced by new species better suited to the new conditions. The real debate is to what extent carbon dioxide drives climate change and secondly what influence as mankind had on cacrbon levels compared to that driven by natural causes. The
real driver of passion is the Certainty of climate scientists. They have a dogma and doctrine and
belief in their own infallability.
As Susan Greenfield admited to the
national press club even the best
scientists get it wrong sometimes citing the case of Barry Marshal who
won the Nobel Prize despite regections of his opinions by his peers. Nothing is certain in nature
climate is a chaotic system not possible to model because of so many
unknown variables and initial starting conditions.

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Marty :

19 Jul 2011 10:16:08am

Many thanks to the mining billionaires for forking out their hard-earned cash to fly this wacky comedy character over here First Class to entertain us all on an upcoming episode of The Chaser, and thanks to His Lordship for the sneak preview.

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robynne morton :

19 Jul 2011 7:17:13am

Well we may ask who is a director on the board of GETUP? ,WHO PAYS THEIR WAY AND THEIR BILLS,IS IT BILL SHORTEN AND THE LABOR PARTY?

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Mac :

19 Jul 2011 6:03:13am

Lord Monckton is NOT a Scottish peer.

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Adam :

18 Jul 2011 11:50:06pm

Lord Monckton may not be a climate scientist, but neither is Ross Garnaut or Tim Flannery. Both of who earn $425,000 from the Government to sell their carbon tax. Don't even get me started on Al Gore. ABC stop picking sides in this debate and stay neutral because 61% of people are not picking Labor according to the latest polls.

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Jarrod :

18 Jul 2011 11:08:40pm

Thank you Wendy. If we'd had more of this kind of fair and honest journalism from the outset, maybe the "debate" wouldn't be overrun by the arrogant, shrieking ignoramuses and apathetic shruggies that make up most of those against action on climate change.

Monckton is an utter disgrace, a fabricator of evidence, a demagogue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbW-aHvjOgM

To those who don't believe climate change is real or man made: if you've formed your opinion off the back of information fed to you by the likes of Monckton, Abbot and the Sun Herald - you're completely uninformed and have no place in the "debate" until you've bothered to do some proper research. Have the decency and humility to admit you have no idea what you're talking about, and that - gasp - maybe the scientists do.

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El :

18 Jul 2011 11:08:09pm

Al Gore raised hell around the world.

But just who is Al Gore and who are the forces behind him? He's fast becoming a 'has been' And who pays his airfares?

Chief amongst them is a mysterious group striving for a One World Government including Bob Brown with close ties to the *********** and ********* others including ******** people and carbon promoters setting out to profiteer from the new currency called carbon. It's more about paying to continue to pollute, not to reduce pollution. If you stop polluting there is 'no money go 'round.'

Even Christine Milne said 5 - 10% reduction was laughable.
She's decided to just get whatever money she can for now.
What is the reduction and what will it achieve - well the key players can't tell us.
Our GREAT MORAL CHALLENGE has morphed into tax reform

Please explain how the 'debate' moved from global cooling to acid rain to ozone hole to greenhouse gases to carbon dioxide to carbon to emissions to pollution to sustainability to green jobs to a better economic future and tax reform. Get Tim Flannery to explain it all. That guru has a certain clarity - much like Gore.

Gore lied, as did Gillard.

Why do they have to lie if they have the truth? Truth speaks for itself.

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Ron :

18 Jul 2011 10:46:56pm

Monckton probably deserves your disdain and is more showman than advocate.
Similarly I look forward to a demolition job on Flannery.
And while at that have a go at prof. Dr Lindzen.
Closer to home why not deconstruct David Evans and say Prof Bob Carter (you now the one the ABC pulls the plug on.)
Finally let us have a forensic demolition on your heroine Oreskes.
NOW THAT WOULD BE BALANCE!!!!

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jon crow :

18 Jul 2011 10:43:57pm

Yeah way to go Wendy, can't wait for the follow up on who funds the likes of Tim Flannery and co. Oh thats right we the taxpayer do, the same people who fund left wing crap disguised as so called journlism pushing the goverment line.

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Neil Russell-Taylor :

18 Jul 2011 10:41:35pm

One of the most important weapons used to enslave humanity is the Hegelian Dialectic. The Hegelian Dialectic is a framework to guide our thoughts and actions to a predetermined solution.

Its designed to get us into a frenzied defense or offense of a particular idea or thesis. The natural outgrowth of the original idea is the opposite idea or anti-thesis,which will breed it’s own defense and offense. The predetermined answer of the puppeteers is the synthesis of both sides of the conflict.

Here we have those for and against the new idea that carbon should be taxed. The synthesis,of these two seemingly opposite ideas,is this middle of the road “lesser of two evils” mess we have now.

Money is ultimately thrown at both sides for a long an heated debate and the English language tortured and twisted to suit the arguments of both sides. But the outcome has already been decided by both Labor and Liberals; there WILL be a tax on air, brilliant!

Who ever thought that the logic of derivatives could be slid across to air!

Whats not required here is an IQ over your age.

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John White :

18 Jul 2011 10:29:40pm

Terrifying; in detail. Of course big polluting businesses wish to remain big and polluting, and are cynical in their methods. What is terrifying is the scientists recruited to their banner. I know they have been frightened by monsters, but its hard to see what they are afraid of; is it me? I don't recognize the portrait of environmentalists like myself as green Nazis.

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Theo :

18 Jul 2011 10:16:55pm

A very poor piece of reporting, full of criticisms proven to be false (see http://www.nocarbontax.com.au/2011/07/abc-mistakes-lord-moncktons-science/ for an excellent, referenced rebuttal). ABC should apologise to Monckton.

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Trish :

18 Jul 2011 10:10:42pm

What a truly disgraceful report, Wendy. You should be thoroughly ashamed of the hatchet job you have done. I bet you fell for the Y2K scam too that all the so-called qualified 'experts'predicted would cause armageddon on 1 Jan 2000 and then absolutely nothing happened - even in offices like ours and countries where nothing had been spent making their systems 'compliant'. Thank God for people like Lord Monckton who have the courage to stand up to the groupthink fascist enemies of free speech and common sense in this country! In the minds of many, the man is an out and out hero and I predict that you and all the other Labour/Green toadies who have posted on this blog will be really embarrassed at how monumentally and stupendously gullible you have all been over this issue. The funny thing is I used to be a Labour voter until this issue really showed me how monumentally deranged and common sense-averse the left really is.

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Jane Gorton :

18 Jul 2011 9:45:01pm

Wendy Carlisle, you have my utmost respect. Lord Monkton exhibits, juvenile reasoning and attention seeking dramatics. We want balanced, rational accurate science, debate is good but scare mongering is purile. It was a great show.

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Alpheus :

18 Jul 2011 9:16:37pm

What? Journalism at its best? Good grief. What utter nonsense. Such one sided attempts to make these people look like idiots I only last seen (heard) in Zimbabwe. ABC and Wendy Carlisle would be very welcome in Harare.

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John :

18 Jul 2011 8:39:18pm

Seems to be a lot of people here frightened of debate, and so you should be. The IPCC has been thoroughly discredited and the warming scam busted. The parade of carpetbaggers are beginning to thin out as reality catches up with them.

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Mike Elliott :

18 Jul 2011 8:35:42pm

Dear Wendy... You have an amazing number of casual supporters - I wonder who they all are? Believers I conclude, because none of them offer anything close to supporting what they profess to seek. Believers do not gather knowledge by which they can actually put forward any rational or useful input to a complex problem, they take sides for emotional comfort only. And the process of science does not work this way, it does not care for our emotional needs. As you well know there is only question in this debate "what is the real world evidence that man made carbon dioxide contributes to dangerous global warming". The answers put forward so far include nil, zip, nought and nothing. Not the IPCC, nor the CSIRO, nor the BoM, nor the Royal Society, nor the Climate Commission, nor the Critical Decade report, nor Tim Flannery and not David Karoly offer up any answer to this question. The famous Australian teaching scientist Professor Sumner Miller (ABC 1963 to 1986) would have asked - "Why is it so"? And I ask you Wendy, and your supporters, the same question - Why is it so? Not sure if youve noticed but most Australian voters have worked it out.

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cfm :

18 Jul 2011 8:27:34pm

Our Climate Changers are beginning to look increasingly like Flat Earthers. For goodness sake if you have any reliable scientific proof to back up your claims you should have no qualms about debating Lord Monkton. When supposed scientists and their ABC Rottweilers resort to carrying out character assassinations of anyone who dares to question their hypotheses – well you appear a little more desperate each time. Just debate the guy – if he’s as daft as you insist and you’re as erudite as you claim – it’ll be a cinch…!

One writer said that the alternative energy progress made so far was done without creating an enormous tax to finance it. So true, and with serious incentive, so much more could be achieved.

One has to wonder just what the real purpose of the slush find is???

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Andrew :

18 Jul 2011 8:23:35pm

Julia's so called Carbon Tax, is not about Carbon Dioxide emission, its about wealth redistribution and the progression of socialism in Australia.

Let's not get confused!

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George :

18 Jul 2011 8:10:54pm

Great program, thanks.

Not sure if anyone else commented but the issue of sea level rise wasn't quite accurately covered.

Gore says "if the Greenland and W Antarctic ice sheets melt" .. subsequent rise will be 20 ft etc.

Monckton calims that the IPCC attributes 6 cm of sea level rise to melting or those ice sheets ( over the next century ).

Wendy then states that the IPCC ( Ch 5 ) expect 20 - 50 cm sea level rise.

But that is thermal expansion only. The IPCC excluded contributions from ice sheet melting because of the unpredictablility of the rate of melting and non-linearity. This is likely to have changed in the next report.

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Change Media Laws :

18 Jul 2011 8:02:51pm

Good story, Wendy. Congratulations for not being intimidated.

We need a change of media laws to facilitate diversity of political views in talkback radio. In Sydney, for example, the only views expressed on commercial talk radio are from the extreme right. That's not representative, it's corrosive to democracy and is propelling us down the road to fascism.

Get some progressive talk stations on the air to shake the world of Jones and his colleagues.

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mudd :

18 Jul 2011 7:51:07pm

The fact that we have a crowd applauding such a pathetic, propoganda driven hatchett job piece of so-called journalism is very scary. What? Wendy did a good job by engaging in character assination instead of debate? Where's the same scrutiny of Tim Flannery or Al Gore? Oh that's right you agree with them. Head in the sand Aunty and its rent-a-crowd at their best....no debate allowed unless we agree with views.

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Mike :

18 Jul 2011 7:33:30pm

This is so typical of the poorly researched leftest claptrap coming out of the abc today. It reinforces the notion that when the outcoming govt finally leaves office, the move against the abc and it's hangers-on will be swift and strong. Long live free (and intelligent) speech.

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Deborah :

18 Jul 2011 7:32:58pm

Another inept hatchet job from the ABC, from a program I used to enjoy and trust. If you get things this wrong on subjects I am informed about, I can't trust you to give me a reasonable insight into subjects that are new to me. I don't belong to a Lord Monckton cheer squad but his arguments concerning IPCC science versus observational data are generally sound. I checked for myself. As you should have. The rest of his business activities don't concern me.

Please, consider addressing the science, Wendy. Or, since it's obviously not your best area, hiring someone else to do it.

Incidentally, given that global warming is agreed by scientists to have plateaued over the last decade, when do you expect it to resume, and why?

Time to get some new blood into the ABC.

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Truthful :

18 Jul 2011 7:21:28pm

Read the truth. What a load of garbage again ABC...
http://www.nocarbontax.com.au/2011/07/abc-mistakes-lord-moncktons-science/

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d wotherspoon :

18 Jul 2011 6:28:31pm

Hi

Excellent program - it is sad that so many people here and in the US still don't realize Monckton is little more than a Walter Mitty on steroids.

In addition to his claims to have found a promising treatment for HIV, MS and other diseases, Monckton's CV includes claims to have given technical advice on

Warship hydrodynamics
Psephological modelling
Embryological modelling
Hydrogeology
Investment analysis
Public welfare modelling and
Epidemiological analysis

this list comes from
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/reprint/Letter_to_McCain.pdf

Monckton and his supporters make a lot of noise about "freedom of speech", but in fact Monckton is not interested in having his ratbag ideas challenged.

Last year, Prof Abraham from St Thomas University in the USA put a detailed critique of one of Monckton's presentations on his uni website:
http://www.stthomas.edu/engineering/jpabraham/

A furious response came from Monckton which included lobbying donors to the University to stop funding the University unless Abraham remove the presentation.

Monckton also demanded that Abraham pay $100,000 to a Monckton charity as compensation for the attack on the presentation.

In his attacks on Prof Abraham, Monckton says Abraham looks like "an overcooked prawn" (see
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/monckton-at-last-the-climate-extremists-try-to-debate-us-pjm-exclusive/?singlepage=true )

and in a TV interview ,Monckton calls Abraham a "wretched little man" and describes St Thomas University as a "bible college" (I wonder if he used the same description of Notre Dame in WA - they are both Catholic private universities).

This interview can be seen at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnQdKDeDjqI

(It is well worth watch just for the nutty host Alex Jones)

Claims by Monckton's supporters that he is "respectful" in debating this issue are ridiculous.

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CHarlie :

18 Jul 2011 6:22:07pm

Great job ABC Wendy.

I've seen both for and against rallies on TV. It's odd to see positive messages being put forward by the 'pro tax' ones yet foaming at the mouth screaming pitch fork gangs at the 'anti tax' ones.

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Eigthman :

18 Jul 2011 6:15:10pm

It is obvious that commercial interests are driving against their perceived right to extract profits whilst the public is left to suffer the consequences. That is the economic model in many industries, not just mining or energy.

Monckton is a fool if he thinks that freedom of speech includes the absolute 'right' to be listened to.

A refusal to listen is the right of anyone whose attention is being imposed upon and it is not related to whether anyone's right to speak is curtailed.

This sort of sleight of hand and sophistry is indicative of an underlying and pervasive dishonesty.

Similarly the false and feigned umbrage employed by Monckton in order to avoid answering straight questions about his claims is the tactic employed by those who can only deliver to unquestioning fools.

As usual the fascists are those who employ the charge as an argument and think it serves sufficiently as a proof.

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Shaun Williams :

18 Jul 2011 6:13:45pm

Wow! Very disturbing. That must have been a pretty frightening moment for you Wendy, being jostled by the frenzied tribe. Hard to imagine that was in Australia, how sad. All for the sake of a few commercial vested interests, appalling.

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Jools UK :

18 Jul 2011 6:02:02pm

I'm amazed that anyone takes Monckton seriously.

Here in the UK he's seen for the buffoon he really is, but elsewhere in the world his accent and title seem to give him some credibility for some reason...

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Robert Cooper :

18 Jul 2011 5:40:51pm

A very brave and impressive piece of journalism exposing the other side of this debate which the Far Right Conservatives have so far got away with it.
I hope more journalists show the guts and determination to report the truth like Wendy Carlisle has.
Well done.

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Tom :

18 Jul 2011 5:21:30pm

Wendy, well done.
What a bunch of nutters at that meeting! What you did takes guts.
And Alan Jones... Could someone organise a spaceship for the lot of them?
Or, give them a job with News Limited.

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Dr Jeckle and Mr Heckle :

18 Jul 2011 4:55:18pm

That was an impressive piece of reporting, on an extremely disturbing matter.

My most sincere admiration to Ms. Carlisle.

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Bill Koutalianos :

18 Jul 2011 4:33:43pm

It was announced at the Hyde Park rally by myself, albeit towards the end of the rally, that it was The Climate Sceptics Party who were presenting Monckton to the east coast of Australia. So that's one mystery out of the way. The Galileo Movement mystery is easily resolved by visiting their website. That's two mysteries down. The remaining mystery is how the ABC can continue its blatant advocacy of AGW following "climategate", the ensuing Phil Jones admission, "glaciergate", the series of IPCC scandals through early 2010, including the admission they had included "grey" material from green lobby groups in their "100% peer-reviewed science reports", all culminating in the IAC's scathing report into the IPCC's processes in August 2010. Instead of listening to the criticisms of the IPCC science by these commentators and broadening the scientific debate, Wendy's preoccupation is trying to put words in the mouth of Joanne Nova.

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Google - Maurice Strong :

18 Jul 2011 4:25:18pm

Haha, YOU just gave him more attention. When will you learn?

"Mr Monckton is not and has never been a member of the house of Lords, please refrain from giving this baffoon any more airtime.

Cheers Pip Pip and Tallyho!!!"

Maurice Strong - There's your answer!!!

Reply Alert moderator
Emma :

18 Jul 2011 4:21:04pm

At first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you... then, well who knows, but the theory is, they stop all that nonsense and see the light eventually.

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Still Laughing :

18 Jul 2011 3:09:36pm

Those medieval characters who appeared at Monckty Python's Flying Circus sure know their Holy Grail material, in particular the scene where Sir Bedevere explains his New Logic to the witch-burning mob.
"If Julia Gillard weighs the same as a duck, then logically she is made of wood... and therefore ... a WITCH!! Ditch the Witch! Ditch the Witch! Hang on, ABC over here, ABC over here! Let's burn her!! Yeah let's get her!!!"
Played to perfection... a million laughs!
Good onya Monckty and crew, keep the laughs coming.

Reply Alert moderator
Alice Margaret :

18 Jul 2011 1:25:59pm

Climate Science, Not 'septic skeptics'!

Journalism at its best by Wendy Carlisle, thank you ABC!

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Andrew :

18 Jul 2011 1:24:00pm

The debate has been reduced to such an appallingly low level that we are now supposed to listen to and give credibility to persons , such as Monckton, who have NIL scientific background or credentials on issues of great scientific complexity such as climate science.
And as for the howls of hearing 2 sides of the climate change debate, over 90 % of scientific opinion is already one way - does that mean we allow the less than 10 % of the opposite ‘view’ equal time ?
What if Lord Monckton and the many similarly ignorant Conservative cheersquad who permeate commercial radio talkback and News Limited press , presented views that opine that cigarette smoking does not cause lung cancer ?
Because its a 'democracy' do we suddenly rush to give airtime to these views despite the fact they are ludicrous and are not supported by the weight of credible medical science and research ? I think not. Then why do we need to do the same with climate science, particularly when the majority of sceptics are without scientific credentials. It beggars belief.
In years (hopefully more enlightened ones) to come this time will viewed with scorn and derision for it's extraordinary levels of hysteria, panicked ignorance, and obscene self interest.

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Jake :

18 Jul 2011 1:17:39pm

Great work Wendy. This is excellent. Get it on Four Corners.

The mainstream media fail to do this more often because of either a lack of courage or lack of resources.

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Gerry Leo :

18 Jul 2011 1:04:28pm

Thank you for this sensible report, so desperately needed.

There is a very interesting rebuttal of this dangerous man's claims, slide by slide.

Cheekily, someone has posted it to this address:

thegalileomovement.org

It makes illuminating reading.

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Peter Morgenroth :

18 Jul 2011 12:55:41pm

All of the so-called "climate skeptics" are doing the world and the world of science a great service by raising questions about the assumptions of the cliimate doomsayers and their shaky and sometimes unfounded predictions. The scientific method is the best BS detector ever invented and many of the critical assumptions and forecasts of the "warmist" political lobby have failed the rigorous tests that the method requires be passed. The "skeptics" are on your side. Do not be too eager to dismiss them.

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Paul Messenger :

18 Jul 2011 12:35:52pm

I read the abstract from the article on polar bears and conclude that this is not science but speculation. The paper is based on aerial surveys and presumptions on causes of death. The conclusion is by, their own admission, pure speculation. It is no wonder that people like Lord Monkton can so easily demolition these psuedo-science arguments. The great pity is that far too many journalists are more interested in attacking the character of people like Monkton, rather than debating him on his arguments. People would be far better informed if you play the ball rather than the man.
Paul Messenger
PhD Earth Science

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Peter B :

18 Jul 2011 12:29:54pm

Far too many Labour Staffers making comments on these ABC Sites lately, not really a balanced view of the Majority of Australian Views.
Yes I believe we can all do something to reduce mans contribution of polutants into the air we breathe. This Carbon Tax is not the way to go though, what have we all been doing for the past 40 odd years in Australia?
We are & have been actively involved in (SOLAR HW & Power on our roofs), (WIND power generation & farms), (REFORRESTATION of many areas in Australia), (FACTORIES & INDUSTRY cleaner disposal of waste products to Air & Water) & (AUTOMOBILES cleaner fuels, better exhaust systems & Hybrid Cars) there are more things that have been done this is just a few, and things are also being planned for future implimentation. None of these things have required a CARBON TAX and they have made a big difference, Australia is a much cleaner country than it was 40 years ago. This is not SCIENCE this is ACTION.
Also the CSIRO have recently developed a Carbon Capture System that will work efficiently on Coal Fired Power Stations Emissions. The Sunshine Coast has just released plans to build a High Energy Output Solar Power Station. These are a few things going on there is much more happening all the time without the need for a Carbon Tax, this also being the obvious point the Labour/Green/Independent Government stand on this Carbon Tax is MISSLEADING THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE.
Given that carbon dioxide is a food for plants and is turned by them into plant tissue and that animals and humans eat plants other animals and that CO2 is a natural part of the atmosphere, why is it being characterised as pollution.?
Surely it is a false scientific characterisation to call CO2 pollution. when it is the basis of life on earth.

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Glynis :

18 Jul 2011 12:19:38pm

Thanks Wendy, We listen to BB every Sunday & the topics often produce a chill, but this one was very scary. I thank you for your efforts & as far as I could hear you gave a fair representation of the situation. Keep up the good work ABC.

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Brett :

18 Jul 2011 12:18:08pm

Lord Monckton is considered a laughing stock overseas. The fact that he can get such a platform in Australia to repeat claims that have already been thoroughly debunked and continue to misrepresent data from scientists who have publicly stated he has skewed and misrepresented their data is a sad indictment on the state of debate in this country.

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EoR :

18 Jul 2011 12:05:31pm

When asked why the same people keep coming back to his Travelling Roadshows, Monckton admits "You can fool some of the people all the time." So he clearly admits his show is about fooling people?

On the other hand, the woman who goes "A, B, CeeeeEEEEEEEeeeeeee!" should have that soundbite used in every future ABC promo. Brilliantly loopy.

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Misnomer :

18 Jul 2011 11:50:37am

It should be called the Vatican Movement, not the Galileo Movement.
It was Galileo after all who propounded the science that we know today to be true, and the Vatican who were the science deniers insisting that no way does the earth revolve around the sun.
It took over three hundred years for the Vatican to admit they were wrong.

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Michael :

18 Jul 2011 11:50:17am

While the pro-global warming group like to pretend Lord Monkton represents a 'lunatic-conservatism' they very dishonestly refuse to look at the Science, and the long-term records. It is clear that the global-warming faction, with their insistence that CO2 produced by human activity is all to blame, have an insidious political agenda in mind with the opportunities for draconian social and financial control this 'allows'. Let's have the true debate, the real talk about the actual science of this-we cannot allow these people to hoodwink us.

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Angelo S :

18 Jul 2011 11:46:20am

I believe what these people are saying is a direct reflection of themselves. These people are taking the Australian people for mugs! You can't be to the far right of politics, actively promote the muzzling of the voice of reputable scientists and anyone who dares advocates for them with blatant slander in the media and then call people that are their opponents fascists! The only voice most people I know are hearing is the Daily Telegraph and 2GB! I am originally from Italy, and listening to the voices I have no doubt who is closer to fascism. I doubt anyone would have a voice if these people were in power. One only has to look at who gets a voice with Alan Jones to see that!

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Mick :

18 Jul 2011 11:21:21am

What a joke. You are just like all the others. You are all about trying to find some obscure dirt to try and discredit all those who oppose the tax and climate change propaganda. Why do you not try and discredit those who support the climate change nonsense ? Well, we already know the answer to that question don't we ? If Lord Monkton is such a phoney, why is it that none of the proponents of climate change will publicly debate him ? Well we already know that answer to that too !

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Joel Black :

18 Jul 2011 11:12:59am

Remember when smoking started to be banned inpublic places,and random breath testing and god forbid drinking after 6pm was allowed!It was to be the end of civilisation!No it was the process of becoming healthy and civilised.The doomsayer denialists are in the same boat!

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Jol :

18 Jul 2011 10:59:42am

Brilliant. Keep up the good work guys.

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Grendel :

18 Jul 2011 10:45:54am

I am waiting with great anticipation for a 'Background Briefing' on Al Gore, examining his highly lucrative work spreading the gospel of AGW.
Or maybe Tim Flannery, who has made a truckload of money in a similar fashion.

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Ian W. :

18 Jul 2011 10:35:50am

Great piece, Wendy. Two things fascinate me about the context. There seems to be a recurring theme of Christian conservatism running through the memberships and writings of many associated with the Galileo Movement combined with a deep distrust/hatred of the UN. I suspect this is a widespread theme globally amongst those in the denialist movement. Would be an interesting area of study. Conspiracy theory, anyone?

The second is the vitriolic way in which much of the denialist rhetoric is presented. The postings here tend to bear this out. Monckton's sarcasm in his speeches seems to be a constant theme. His attempt to repeatedly ridicule Gore's accent when speaking about 'sea ice' is symptomatic of his style. Rings a bit foolish when he's caught out falsifying legitimate research for dishonest ends.

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VonBB :

18 Jul 2011 10:15:51am

Mr Monckton

Is not and has never been a member of the house of Lords, please refrain from giving this baffoon any more airtime.

Cheers Pip Pip and Tallyho!!!
Soon to be, if he can, then I can Lord VonBB

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Listener :

18 Jul 2011 9:20:31am

Wonderful program, if a little morbidly fascinating. A seemingly truthful exposure of practices and perceptions of Mockton et al.

They're far closer to the manipulative and if necessary physically threatening fascist/brownshirt mentality than any others they so readily accuse.

They're trying to appeal to some Australians most base pathetic, ignorant and selfish aspects, and claiming some moral outrage. Pffft.

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John Coochey :

18 Jul 2011 9:17:26am

Even by the standards of the ABC that was a disgraceful attempt at character assassination and guilt by association. Why not look at the issues rather than the personalities. I note we did not examine the qualifications of Tim Flannery, first degree in English Literature one peer review publication which was a book review. Nor did the program examine his statement that if all human activity ceased it would take a thousand years for any cooling to take place. This contrasts with Any Pitman who says twenty to thirty years. Which is right? When Ian Chubb the Australian Chief Scientist was asked this he answer on ABC 666 was quote “I do not have a clue”. And I thought the science was settled

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maggie :

18 Jul 2011 9:12:06am

Thanks for a great programme highlighting the 'Galileo Movement' - think he would turn in his tomb, having his name linked to this unintelligent mob...

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Aristeve :

18 Jul 2011 7:55:19am

Well done Wendy

We need more brave journalists like you on the other networks

It is very hard to imagine how people so far out on the edge of reality can be taken seriously

Maybe we need to ask what Alan Jones is getting out of this

Is it that he is willing to do and say anything that will get attention and thus sell advertising?

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Rob Honeycutt :

18 Jul 2011 7:46:17am

Well done piece, Wendy! Keep up the good work.

There are a couple of other reports on Monckton that people can check out here:

Science journalist Peter Hadfield has this 5 part series...
http://www.youtube.com/user/potholer54#p/u/14/fbW-aHvjOgM

And Peter Sinclair also has a 2 part series....
http://www.youtube.com/user/greenman3610#p/u/44/JfA1LpiYk2o

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kika :

18 Jul 2011 7:27:11am

i was surprised to hear mr. monckton say he didn't know who was paying him for his promotional tour of australia.

i wonder if he knows how much he is being paid?

perhaps our rupert m. is shelling out for him?

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Jose Arabatti :

18 Jul 2011 2:01:36am

Well done Wendy. Another uninformed , partially researched, & even more partially presented Foot in Mouth job from the ABC.
How you managed to keep a straight face through that comic questioning is a testament to the temerity of sinecures journalism.

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Rob :

18 Jul 2011 12:27:57am

Self-righteous, and without a trace of irony, the English lord accuses climate action advocates of fascist tactics, while Jones and he study at the feet of Haw-Haw and Goebels.

Quoting selectively and out of context they blatantly misconstrue and misrepresent the arguments of eminent scientists to whip up fear and rage in their campaign to "axe the tax". Monckton brazenly complains about being shunned because he likened Ross Garnaut to a Nazi, while simultaneously warning the prime minister, "Julia, darling, you're next" and the scientists, "we are coming after you, we are going to prosecute you and we are going to lock you up!"

Alan Jones accuses the prime minister of behaviour "bordering on the treasonous" while urging his radio audience to stage a leagues club putsch against the government. When he does invite a climate scientist onto his show, it is to browbeat and bully him, as he did to David Karoly in May (see Media Watch).

Monckton plays the crowd like a consumate demagogue, with all the rhetorical flourishes, accusing the ABC of left-wing interference in his campaign.
"Will we let them"? he rants. "NOOO!" screams the crowd.
"Will we let them"? "NOOO!"
"Will we let them"? "NOOO,"

It is the climate scientists and key politicians, such as Tony Windsor, that are getting hate mail and death threats - not the climate sceptics. It was the man at Joe Hockey's community meeting in Brisbane last week that was asking about "taking up arms against this government," not someone at a GetUp rally.

Meanwhile, the instigators of all this are handed megaphones by Australia's mining and media Junker class. Singleton's Macquarie network, especially 2GB, and Murdoch's Australian and Telegraph are all on board. And in recent times, mining billionaire and Monckton sponsor, Gina Reinhart, has bought into Fairfax and Channel 10. Is it just a coincidence that Andrew Bolt has been handed a new Sunday morning TV show on Channel 10?

Unfortunately, yes, there is a curious resemblance to the last days of the Weimar republic, but not yet too late for people to wake up.

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Bruce Smith :

17 Jul 2011 10:04:59pm

The reporter asked the sceptic lady speaker a loaded question. Should the (Ignorant and misguided public) be trusted to make decisions about the science of climate change? The inference being that they are so influenced by the cranks and so called "Shock Jocks.' that informed debate is impossible.

Well my answer is; the public needs to be informed as we will be voting on this very issue, next elections.

In my view the question reveals more about the dysfunction of the ABC to provide unbiased presentation of contrary views.

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anthony cox :

17 Jul 2011 9:44:28pm

To paraphrase our dear leader, what a load of crap.

I always find it fascinating when big money is invoked as being behind scepticism of man-made global warming [AGW]. In Australia, over the last few years billions have been thrown in support of AGW and renewable energy, the so-called ‘solution’ of AGW. To that you can add the annual budget of about $1.2 billion for the ABC which has devoted itself to pro-AGW agitprop.

On the other side money in support of sceptics is scant.

Lord Monckton’s tour after his Perth obligations was arranged and funded by The Climate Sceptics [TCS]. As to the pervasive air of mystery about LM’s ‘backers’ Leon Ashby, TCS president, told Ms Carlisle just before the Newcastle leg that TCS was the tour organiser. Great reporting.

No speaking fee was offered or paid to Lord Monckton [LM] by TCS. The original plan was to give LM a tent, a sleeping bag and a painted thumb so he could hitch-hike between venues. After due reconsideration TCS put up funds to allow LM to have a roof over his head and transport between venues. Those funds were produced by a whip around from TCS members and I think Leon Ashby sold a couple of heifers. No coal industry money.

Anyway Ms Carlisle was shown every courtesy during her fact-finding expedition at Newcastle but still managed to get other basic facts wrong. For instance Malcolm Roberts was NOT the MC, local ex-ABC DJ, Garth Russell was.

Nor does Ms Carlisle mention that Dr David Evans accompanied LM and Jo Nova to Newcastle. Dr Evans helped set up the Department of Climate Change computer models and was once a believer in AGW but is now a sceptic. Part of the original plan was to also tour Professor Ross McKitrick with LM but funds did not extend that far; Leon did not sell enough cows.

One final point. Ms Carlisle quotes heavily from professor Oreskes. Oreskes is critiqued here:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/06/naomi_oreskes_conspiracy_queen.html

http://joannenova.com.au/2011/06/oreskes-clumsy-venomous-smear-campaign-busted/

Given this ‘hatchet job’ I would ask Ms Carlisle to declare her ‘belief’, or not, in AGW and her sources of funding.

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goconnor :

17 Jul 2011 8:44:43pm

Many thanks for this program. I was well aware of Monckton's status as a climate science charlatan, but did not realise that he is also a medical guru. What a genius! And how lucky Australia is to have someone with the intellectual firepower and scientific gravitas of Alan Jones to pump his tyres up here.

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bigblue :

17 Jul 2011 7:00:09pm

Wedny,thanks for finally following up Monckton's claims to have discovered a 'cure' for everything from MS to influenza. He has also previously claimed to have discovered a cure for cancer. Typically,once caught out, he begin to backtrack. The man has been a serial exaggerator, dissembler and has knowingly misled and distorted the evidence for years. It's time he was exposed for what he is. One small point: The documentary, Great Global Warming Swindle was produced for Britian's Channel 4, not the BBC.

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colleen smith :

17 Jul 2011 6:40:22pm

Thank you Wendy for a great program and for being brave enough to get into the mob. The powers of persuasion of Jones, Monckton et al are frightening. As the PM said, if all you listen to is 2GB you are getting a completely slanted view of the evidence in the topic of climate change. Unfortunately, a great number of people are in that catagory, and they are now exhorted to turn on the ABC as a pillar of darkness. Background Briefing is to be congratulated.

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R Christie :

17 Jul 2011 6:30:23pm

Well done.
Mainstream media have been more than a little slow in turning the spotlight on these science deniers and their hidden puppet masters.

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Alice W. Suttie :

17 Jul 2011 6:28:20pm

Wendy, thank you for a sound and thorough expose. I know I have felt bashed and battered just by the attitudes of work colleagues in a hospital, this past week, over the issue of the carbon tax. You, meanwhile, have been on the front lines. Hats off to you!

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maurice19 :

17 Jul 2011 6:26:43pm

It's quite clear who the dangerous fascists are..... Monckton and the shady Galilieo Movement people.

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Medusa Knows :

17 Jul 2011 6:11:15pm

"Denialism" seems to be based on the myth of climate science consensus. This is a enlightening read: http://bit.ly/ppjrWu (Iowa State University)

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Docent :

17 Jul 2011 5:52:44pm

Thank you Wendy for providing exposure for Lord Monckton. Attempts to silence him and his views are all too common. Your coverage will help to disseminate the facts on CO2 and thereby defeat the tax on carbon.

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Charles C :

17 Jul 2011 5:39:36pm

The only mystery that I have is how the ABC funded by tax payers money can put out such dribble and not address the issues but run an agenda of leftish, brain dead elitists.

If it wasnt for the government funding the lot of you couldn't get a real job if it killed you, yet you have the gall to preach to others.

Stop insulting the majority of hardworking individuals and stop telling us how we should live our lives.

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Deanna Redfearn :

17 Jul 2011 5:19:46pm

ow dare they use Galileo's good name as the name of their movement.

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Gil Greening :

17 Jul 2011 4:50:42pm

Curious about this Galileo group, I traced a few of them through the web, and see that some have long histories fronting or associated with organisations with names like the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition and Friends of Science. All saying that human-produced CO2 is not causing global warming, among other things.
A significant number have worked for energy/oil interests, or are still doing so. I wonder why they are so determined to get their way and convince people to ignore increasing CO2. Is it really just about money and power?

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indulis :

17 Jul 2011 4:39:31pm

PS the sea level rises quoted by the IPCC do *NOT* include the effects of land-based ice sheets melting faster as the sea ice sheets melt.
""Dynamical processes related to ice flow not included in current models but suggested by recent observations could increase the vulnerability of the ice sheets to warming, increasing future sea level rise. Understanding of these processes is limited and there is no consensus on their magnitude."

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Shane Briant :

17 Jul 2011 4:36:35pm

What a vile two-faced nothing is Lord Monkton. Thanks so much for informing us of the REAL facts.What's he doing in Oz anyway, encouraging louts to behave badly in public. Ugh.

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Frank Brus :

17 Jul 2011 4:27:02pm

How about reporting all science, especially that relating to new research into the effect of the sun into climate and the fact that weather events today are no more severe than those of past years. For example the hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900 had an estimated death toll of between 6,000 and 12,000 compared to Katrina with less than 2000. The same is true for fires, floods and droughts!

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Penelope M :

17 Jul 2011 4:03:47pm

Was Monckton the best Gina's billions could buy? His views will not persuade the law makers.

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Andy Semple :

17 Jul 2011 3:40:54pm

Polar bears have increased in number over the past 40 years, and are only now labelled “endangered” for propaganda purposes.
In the Davis Strait area, a 140,000-square kilometre region, the polar bear population has grown from 850 in the mid-1980s to over 2,100.
“There aren’t just a few more bears. There are a hell of a lot more bears,” said Mitch Taylor, a polar bear biologist who has spent 20 years studying the animals.
Why aren’t these facts included, so listeners can make up their own minds? Why did Wendy Carlisle fail to ask a single sceptical question about global warming? This is not reporting but propagandising.
Those responsible have betrayed the ABC’s charter and failed their duty to their audience. Mark Scott, where are you?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1545036/Polar-bears-thriving-as-the-Arctic-warms-up.html

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Daniel Taylor :

17 Jul 2011 3:35:28pm

The Witch Trial of Canberra
"Ditch the Witch. Ditch the Witch. Ditch the Witch" calls the mob, under the smiling gaze of the Opposition Leader. By their thousands they have come to Canberra and surrounded the Parliament house. After fasting three days they are marching around the huge building in bare feet, chanting "Ditch the Witch".
As darkness falls a huge bonfire starts up on the lawn, as the Leader of the Opposition throws an ICCPR Report onto the fire. The Opposition Leader calls into the microphone, "It's all just crap" and the mob calls in response "It's all just crap. It's all just crap." After a few moments a crier calls "Ditch the Witch" and like a roaring hurricane the mob calls "Ditch the Witch. Ditch the Witch . Ditch the Witch".
The Police are struck powerless by fear. They advise the Prime Minister not to show her face to the crowd and to stay in the safety of the Parliament. She has been crying again. She addresses the mob through a loudspeaker. "We must act on climate change. I'm only trying to help. ..." Her voice is drowned out by the cry "Ditch the Witch".
A rock is hurled from the mob at the glass door at the front of the Parliament which shatters into crystals in the night. The police can barely hold back the crowd.
An effigy of the accused Witch is brought to the bonfire. "Ditch the Witch" calls the mob as the figurine is consumed by the fire. "Though shalt not suffer a Witch to Live" reads the banner. The smoke from the bonfire wafts into the Parliament through the open doors and the fire alarm starts, as the mob surges in through the shattered doors.
The Prime Minister escapes through the underground carpark and speeds through the tunnels underneath the mob. The Leader of the Opposition goes to the Governor General to make representations that even though he has a minority of Parliament, only he can assure the peace of the nation.
wadaye (Daniel Taylor)

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tracy hickling :

17 Jul 2011 2:43:25pm

paraphrasing Edmund Bourke

''All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing.''

thank you Wendy, you speak for so many

and again from Bourke...

''people crushed by law, have no hopes but from power. If laws are their enemies, they will be enemies to laws; and those who have much to hope and nothing to lose, will always be dangerous.''

...We cerrtainly havent seen the last of them, good luck to us all

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Little Oil :

17 Jul 2011 2:41:15pm

Have a look at this graph.

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/why_didnt_the_csiro_add_the_temperature_data

The obvious action would be to also show the change in temperature over the same period. When we look at temperature change between 1992 and 2006 there has been no increase despite the steady rise of CO2.

The graph of CO2 is also misleading because it does not start at zero and the vertical scale distorts the rate of increase. Over 34 years CO2 increased from 330 parts per million (ppm) to 385 ppm ie from a concentration of 0.00033 to 0.000385. This is an increase of 17%. If you scale the graph it shows a vertical increase of 6 cm over a horizontal distance of 12.5 cm, an increase of 48% which appears to exaggerate the actual rate of CO2 increase by 283%.

This manipulation of graphs applies to most measurements such as Arctic ice cover produced to show the supposed disastrous effects of manmade global warming.

I am an engineer and I am yet to see a convincing non-emotional argument to support the need to cut our production of carbon dioxide, an invisible odorless tasteless gas breathed out by animal life and an essential food for plant life.

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James Regan :

17 Jul 2011 2:22:45pm

What a brilliant piece of journalism. It seems ironic that the crowd and speakers chanting fascism behavior seemed more akin to fascism. Spreading doubt and fear, nearly terrorizing a journalist who is just reporting holding a microphone a mob mentality...and behind these people Alan Jones, Gina Reinhardt, Lord Monckton.

Thank you Wendy for putting yourself in danger I appreciated it more than you will ever know well done.

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kayn :

17 Jul 2011 1:38:09pm

What chance do the Australian people have to hear, as Joanna Nova asks, both sides of the science when the national broadcaster approaches the topic with such one-sided vitriol? The tone of Wendy's voice when questioning people was verging on the insulting, implying they were being fraudulent.

As another comment requested, are you going to produce another program attacking the pro AGW side Wendy? There is plenty to attack.

What is your motivation for trying to gag scientists who dissent? Let people see what is actually happening with temperatures etc etc...what happened with climategate. Why not report the substance of Bob Carter's lectures.

I don't know why I am wasting my time on such a journalist. How dare you suggest Tim Ball is lying. Who do you think you are?

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pidgy :

17 Jul 2011 1:00:20pm

After listening to BB this morning I have suddenly realised what a battle there is over climate change, carbon tax, etc. Sleepy me! But then, I don't listen to Alan Jones et al. Whilst I've cowardly sat on the fence about human involvement in global warming, it is plain that there is a limit to non-renewable fuels and this has to be faced up to. With the government's proposed carbon tax regime, this problem is begun to be addressed. What's wrong with Australia showing the world how the future can be secure, fuel-wise, without catastrophic social upheaval, Mr Howard? I wish you'd advise your acolyte, Mr Abbott, to tone down his ugly personal attack on our prime minister. Ms Gillard is PM, and that's that.

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Liamj :

17 Jul 2011 12:58:24pm

Well Done Wendy Carlisle, no wonder the billionaires work so hard to try and shut down the ABC.

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Fairgo :

17 Jul 2011 12:44:23pm

Fighting fire with fire was my first reaction - ie putting these particular skeptics up for ridicule. Probably fair enough, given the program's evidence of their propensity to ridicule the climate science (a la Lord Monckton). Perhaps they will learn something from this - but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I would find it more interesting to have a critical analysis of rational skeptics of the climate science. I presume they exist; or are they all maddies?

Probably the best bit about the program was not the easy scores against the Alan Joneses, Moncktons and their sad mob followers (to be found everywhere; they know not what they do) but the obvious connection between money/business and the opponents of action on climate change.

The ancient adage: Cui bono? The modern invocation: Follow the money.

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gondor :

17 Jul 2011 12:34:51pm

thank you. great show. you showed these actors up, singer, mockton, etc.., for the fraudulent and farsickle individuals that they are.

if i was an intelligent individual, on the side that opposes the carbon tax, i would be truly embarassed and ashamed of such groups as the 'gallileo' movement. my god - what a circus...

these profiteering types (eg mining figures), with a vested interest in the issues they are advocating, should be held accountable for misinforming the public on such important issues as climate change...

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peter morris :

17 Jul 2011 12:26:28pm

an excellent piece of radio journalism. Well structured, well presented and obviously well researched. It maintains Background Briefing's high standards.

Congratulations to all those involved. Great work. And as for Alan Jones... *!!/#%@!!**

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The Bicyclist :

17 Jul 2011 12:12:01pm

Fantastic show, very revealing of the vested interests behind the anti-action scare campaign being run by sections of the commercial media.

If only more media organisations had the strength and courage to do this sort of reporting.

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reasonablehank :

17 Jul 2011 11:27:04am

Brilliant, Wendy. I am sorry that you were harassed by a mob entrenched in denialism. It was brave of you to get through it. There is another book you might like to check out: Denialism (How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet, and Threatens Our Lives), by Michael Specter. Penguin Press, 2009.
Kudos to you for presenting the irrationality of denialism.

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Megan :

17 Jul 2011 10:57:54am

Eppure si riscalda!

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J. Wilson :

17 Jul 2011 10:55:42am

Congratulations to Wendy Carlisle. It would have taken some courage to expose yourself as an ABC reporter to the rough crowd at one of Mr. Monckton's rallies.

I see messrs. Alan Jones, Monckton, etc. as people who are extremely frightened of the changes to come. Their reaction is to resist change at all costs, blaming those who seem to threaten their stuckness.

However, in their desperation, they are dangerous, cunning and well able to motivate many of the ignorant and gullible members of our society - who carry out their dirty work for them.

The website of the 'Galileo Movement' has only one woman listed among their backers - apart from Gina. It amused me that the two wealthy, older white men who started this movement deigned to mention their wives, who make cups of tea and arrange the flowers, etc.

Most of the people in the denialist movement appear to be older, well-off, right wing, white, male patriarchs, frightened at the possibility of losing some of their large superannuation packages.

Excellent program ABC.

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Eric :

17 Jul 2011 10:52:37am

Galileo Movement? Well it's worth a laugh, I guess. Is Pell a member? Bet he is!

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bensab3 :

17 Jul 2011 10:49:51am

Thank you Wendy for your report. Hearing the way Alan Jones manipulates stirs public opinion, and being supported with the wealth of Gina Rinehart is very disturbing. The Kock brothers in America I believe are doing something similar. How is this defeated? The Government is facing monumental opposition.

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Robin Allinson :

17 Jul 2011 10:26:15am

Thankyou Wendy, it is often difficult to answer points of argument with those listening to the'deniers' without facts or time to look them up.

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Ross :

17 Jul 2011 10:20:44am

"My ABC" should not take a stand on an issue - the way your questions were framed and inferences/comments made, made the climate sceptics sound as though they were at best crackpots - this is not necessarily the case and an equivalent balanced show should now be made presenting a true case for climate scepticism. If we believe that climate change is truly real then why should we be afraid of hearing opposing views - that is unless "My ABC" is only working for a labour party agenda.

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blah blah blah :

17 Jul 2011 10:19:50am

Thank you Background Briefing for countering the 'crap'....

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James Sinnamon :

17 Jul 2011 10:16:44am

Thank you, again, for your excellent journalism, particularly to Wendy Carlisle who withstood insults and abuse from Lord Monckton and his 'skeptic' supporters.

The skeptics' claims that the ABC is denying them them free speech would be seen by any listener as utter nonsense. They were given every opportunity by Background Briefing to put their case. All they needed was logic and evidence and they would have convinced any listener of their case. But they had neither. They could not answer questions put to them by Wendy Carlisle. Background Briefing's research demonstrated that they had misrepresented the evidence or completely fabricated the evidence, time and time again.

Although I am not a 'skeptic' some of the circles I mix in do regard Monckton as credible. In past years I have been invited to his public meetings, so it seemed to me that there was an outside chance of there being a grain of truth in his claims.

Thank you for completely dispelling any belief I had until today of any possibility of Monckton's claims having any basis.

(Actually, I only wish what Monckton says could be shown to be true. If I could delude myself into believing Monckton, there would be that much less I would have to fear.)

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Bluegum :

17 Jul 2011 10:13:27am

What an interesting charlatan Lord Monckton is. I also have researched his background and am not convinced he has credentials which would make him a credible critic of climate science. Nice to hear about his backers.

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Ken Uzzell :

17 Jul 2011 10:09:31am

Great interview, thanks ABC for your fascist reporting ;-)

We need to be real and down to Earth about climate change. Most people are unaware that mother nature (God) produces 99.8% of greenhouse gases. So my take on it is the Gillard government is accusing God of hurting our planet and taxing the people as God simply wont pay up ? ... Lets get real!

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rossc :

17 Jul 2011 10:08:55am

Thank you! Another brilliant piece of journalism. Australia would a poorer place indeed without radio national and BB is an important part of that.

Gillard is treasonous? The ABC is fascist? Hilarious assertions since they would obviously be apposite to those making them. I find the claims of the pursuit of the truth and defence of democracy by denialists bizarrely Orwellian since these are exactly what this movement seeks to obstruct.

And the sounds of the angry crowd could have been from the Thirties. Were there any blackshirts present, I wonder?

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Dawn Oz :

17 Jul 2011 10:08:48am

Thank you for accepting what must have felt like a mission-impossible; all you can do is present what we are up against. Those of us who believe that science is a fount of light rather than heat, are somewhere between amazed and offended by this person. However, belief is a strange thing, and some people have found this charlatan to mouth their lies and deception. A quote which is tangential, however relates to the persistency:
‎"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- the deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic." -- John F. Kennedy

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Chris Ho-Stuart :

17 Jul 2011 10:05:05am

Thanks so much for this program. I've been following the shenanigans of many of these characters for a couple of years now, and it is great to see the ABC dig into it.

In an ideal world this background would be widely known and recognized, and Monckton, Ball, Singer, etc would be a minor noise serving mainly as unintended light comedy and an illustration of the boundless human capacity for absurdity.

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Rosalie Kapust :

17 Jul 2011 10:02:59am

How dare Lord Monckton compare protest of his obtuse views as akin to Fascist Germany..what a dishonest tactic ...what an insult, and deep irony..

The rhetoric, deception and appeal to purity and light,anti- intellectualism and national pride by those of the Galileo group are identical to those attitudes of the 1930's with it's appeal to the ordinary man and big business.

We often wonder how ordinary people could have been swayed by the Nazi's...just hearing these crowds and the gullibility of the common man might help us understand the strange combination of guilt and innocence of the German people..these crowds too, if these corporations have their way and hurt millions in their wake will quite truthfully declare that they didn't know.

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Peter Dasent :

17 Jul 2011 10:00:10am

Excellent and frightening program. What a pompous and dangerous man

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John M :

17 Jul 2011 9:51:35am

For once, we have a welcome checking of the credentials of those who are attacking climate science. Actually, they are inconsistent - on the one hand they claim the support of science, and on the other hand they say the science is fatally flawed. Which is it?

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Soviet :

17 Jul 2011 8:57:06am

The 1980 edition of enclyclopedia Brittanica mentions that the earth is going through an "inter-glacial warming period" - a warm period in between 2 ice ages. This was way before the climate change fad became trendy. Back then everyone was anti-nuclear and that was the current fad.

We need more Lord Monctons and Ian Plimers out there. I'm alone when it comes to taking to task all the instant climate change experts on the ABC forums, who, back in the 80's, where probably the same people who protested against nuclear power which means these "instant climate change experts" are DIRECTLY responsible for millions of tonnes more coal being burnt because they stopped all the nuclear power stations being built. I have no respect whatsoever left for the green movement.

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kevin Casey :

16 Jul 2011 11:58:53am

Wendy--I am in two minds ,firstly that the ABC should lower itself to give this comic air time,on the other hand it might be a good way of of letting the public see what a fool he really is--kevin

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Paul Johnson :

15 Jul 2011 6:41:03pm

Dear Background Briefing – your email today (15/6/2011) providing advance notice of your next program (“The Lord Monckton Roadshow”) asks the question: “…who are the forces behind him?”, and goes on to answer by stating: “Chief amongst them a mysterious group called the Galileo Movement…”. I had never heard of this “mysterious group” until I received your email, so I did an internet search and had no trouble finding all the information you need about them – the link is: http://www.galileomovement.com.au/who_we_are.php#A. Their website provides a comprehensive statement of their policies & objectives as well as details of the founders of the group and a listing of the scientists who support their views. There doesn’t seem to be much of mystery to me! I sincerely hope that the producers of your program don’t debase the ABC’s credentials by trying to put forward some sort of conspiracy theory painting Monckton and “the forces behind him”, (as you put it), as some sort of agents from the dark side. The government’s Carbon Dioxide Tax package will cause the single biggest economic restructuring of the Australian economy in 100 years. The whole issue is extremely divisive and a lot is at stake for a lot of people in the private sector. The Australian public expects the ABC to provide a balanced analysis of such issues and not take a partisan or advocacy approach - and that includes Radio National. Are you with us on this?

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what are these?

Further Information

The Tobacco Institute Memorandum from Samuel D Chilcote

Science Economics and Environmental Policy: A critical examination by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution

IPCC Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. See chapter 5 page 409 for details of predicted sea level rises

Email from the University of Winnipeg regarding Professor Timothy Ball

The paper on drowned polar bears cited by Lord Monckton

Letter to the Viscount Monckton of Brenchley from David Beamish, Clerk of the Parliaments

Presenter

Wendy Carlisle

Producer

Wendy Carlisle

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Jun	JUL	Aug
	21
2010	2011	2012

Background Briefing

The Lord Monckton roadshow

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