A remarkable oxymoron

DR Steve Turton’s long letter “Australians trust science” (CP, 24/12) requires a full response to all his points.

Dr Turton grossly over-complicates what the Terms of Reference should be for a Commission of Enquiry on Climate Change, probably because he is afraid of what a well-conceived and executed commission would reveal. Dr Turton notes “By and large, Australian’s trust science and our scientists. This trust has developed because of the 200-year-old scientific method” – a remarkable oxymoron. For instance, Professor Peter Ridd exposed examples of JCU academics presenting papers that plainly did not follow the “200-year-old scientific method”, strongly supported by federal circuit court judge Vasta’s damning verdict in the April court case.

As for “peer reviews”, this process regularly morphs into a sham where supporters are asked to write reviews, and non-supporters are ignored.

Regarding the point “understanding the range of projected future climate change will inform prudent adaptation actions”, of the 31 main recognised climate change computer models, all except one fail dismally to reproduce known past temperatures.

A Russian model is the most accurate. Peter Senior, Redlynch 1972: Australia halts military aid to South Vietnam, ending its involvement in the Vietnam War.

1985: American naturalist Dian Fossey who studied gorillas in the wild, is found hacked to death at a research station in Rwanda.

2016: Hollywood actress Carrie Fisher (above) dies in intensive care after the 60-year-old actress suffered a heart attack on a commercial flight to Los Angeles days earlier.

2018: The Northern Territory sizzles, with Tennant Creek heading towards its 28th day above 40C this December.