David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, in writing, on 30 August 2012:

(1) Since being appointed as Chief Scientist, in a public forum has Professor Ian Chubb ever directly criticised:

(a) the Prime Minister; if so, when and on what grounds; and

(b) former Senator Bob Brown or Senator Milne; if so, when and on what grounds.

(2) With reference to the Health of Australian Science report, which shows that the level of Australia's international science collaboration has essentially plateaued:

(a) what information has been formally provided to Professor Chubb by the Government regarding the process of responding to, and acting upon, the report, and on what dates was this advice provided; and

(b) what specific recommendations has Professor Chubb made to the Government, either in the report or in other forums, regarding measures to help address the issues raised.

(3) What will Professor Chubb's role as an ex-officio member of the Climate Change Authority (CCA) board entail, and will any remuneration be provided for this role; if so, what will the remuneration be.

(4) Will the department have any other association with CCA, either through its membership or by contributing, in any way, to its work; if so, what work will it specifically undertake.

(5) With reference to the answer provided to question no. AI 16, taken on notice during the 2011 12 Additional estimates hearing of the Economics Legislation Committee, is there any scientific validity to the statement that one particular area of New South Wales faces a higher risk of inundation from sea-level rise than other parts of the state; if so, which area.

(6) What was Professor Chubb's rationale for excluding significant organisations, such as the Defence Science and Technology Organisation and Science and Technology Australia, from membership of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.

(7) With reference to media reports relating to alleged death threats made to Australian climate scientists, and statements made by Professor Chubb at the 2012 13 Budget estimates hearing of the Economics Legislation Committee held on 28 May 2012, can Professor Chubb confirm that he had not seen, or had not been alerted to, any articles of this nature.

(8) Can Professor Chubb confirm whether death threats were received by Australian National University (ANU) climate scientists during his time as Vice Chancellor, either in late 2010 or early 2011; and if such threats were not received, does this mean that the continued assertions by the ANU are false.

(9) If Professor Chubb maintains that 'there were no alleged death threats except when journalists picked up the story', does Professor Chubb accept that reporting of the alleged death threats was based, in each case, on comments made by Professor Ian Young and/or other university representatives or staff.

(10) Can Professor Chubb specifically name any journalist and/or media outlets that invented, misreported or overinflated allegations of death threats against ANU climate scientists in any report in June 2011 or at any time subsequently; if so, what precisely was reported inaccurately.

(11) Does Professor Chubb consider that any of his own comments or views about this issue, either at the time of the original public reporting in June 2011 or at any time subsequently, were relayed or presented in an inaccurate or misleading way; if so, which specific comments or views.

(12) Has Professor Chubb contacted any media outlets at any time to seek to correct or clarify factual inaccuracies in any reports regarding this issue, including in relation to any comments or views that may have been falsely attributed either to him or the ANU, or were presented in a potentially misleading way; if so, for each case, which outlets and on what dates.

(13) With reference to statements made by Professor Chubb at the 2012 13 Budget estimates hearing of the Economics Legislation Committee held on 28 May 2012, relating to:

(a) emails received by ANU staff members, can details be provided of: (i) the date of the event to which he was referring, (ii) in which area of the ANU that person was based at the time, (iii) whether that person has also been interviewed by any of the reporters who have filed stories on the 'death threats' issue from June 2011 onwards, and (iv) whether that person has been named in any of the reports; and

(b) the relocation of ANU climate scientists to a different physical location on the campus in 2010, can details be provided of: (i) the date of the move, (ii) whether the move was made solely in response to a threat of physical violence, or for another reason, (iii) whether the same group of people had ever previously asked to be moved to a new location for any reason other than in relation to death threats.

(14) Does Professor Chubb agree that the 'death threat' issue has had a political element in relation to climate change and matters such as the carbon tax.

(15) Does Professor Chubb now regret his involvement in the story, and using words such as 'appalling' and 'outrageous' to refer to threats and e-mails which he now admits he had not seen.