TALK that Green activists would undermine a conservative-run climate change forum in Warrnambool last night proved to be a lot of hot air.
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Apart from one man being shouted down and labelled an “environmental Nazi” by another member of the 70-strong crowd, there were no major disturbances.
Patrick Tonks asked if guest speaker, former Bureau of Meteorology chief William Kininmonth, was paid by the Australian Climate Science Coalition (ACSC), to which Mr Kininmonth replied he was an honorary member.
“I’m not being paid to be here tonight,” Mr Kininmonth said.
“I’m a retired public servant. The only funding I receive from the Australian Climate Science Coalition is when I have to go somewhere and I’m out of pocket.”
The ACSC is an offshoot of a conservative lobby group called the Australian Environment Foundation.
Mr Kininmonth told the public forum carbon dioxide was not capable of causing dangerous climate change.
“The greenhouse effect is misrepresented by alarmists.
“Carbon dioxide has certainly increased. I have no doubt that is due to humans burning more fossil fuel.
“(But) The earth’s temperature is very stable. There are no tipping points.
“You will not have runaway global warming. I’m very comfortable with that.”
Mr Kininmonth is a science advisor to the Science and Public Policy Institute and runs the Australasian Climate Research Institute from his Melbourne home. He said computer modellings on climate change were inaccurate and the earth had been warming since before the history of humans on the planet.
“It’s during the warm periods that life flourishes,” he said.
“It’s said the warming of the last decade is unprecedented but if one goes back in time it’s not unprecedented.”
Mr Kininmonth was followed by National Civic Council director Peter Westmore, who said the carbon tax would push electricity prices up but have little direct affect on the uptake of renewable energy.
“What the Gillard government has done on the carbon and mining tax is utterly unproductive,” he said. Mr Westmore urged the audience to contact local politicians and media to voice their concerns.
Last week, The Standard reported a leaked email revealed that former Greens candidate Lisa Owen developed a strategy to discredit the climate speech night, organised by the Australian Family Association.
