From the vault-1 year ago-these days everyone is a climate change expert

ABC Original story Weather extremes a taste of the future posted 3/02/2009; official correction listed on February 18, 2009 (see here).

ABC OFFICIAL CORRECTION

On February 3, 2009, in a story about a heatwave hitting the southeast of Australia, Dr Kate Crowley was incorrectly introduced as a “climate change expert”. Dr Crowley was interviewed in her role as the Chairwoman of the Tasmanian Climate Change Action Council, however the ABC acknowledges her expertise is not in the meteorological or physical science aspects of climate issues.

The name of the ABC reporter is not mentioned. The ABC editor added the following note to the article:

Editor's note (February 24): This story originally referred to Dr Kate Crowley as a "climate change expert". Dr Crowley was interviewed in her role as the chairwoman of the Tasmanian Climate Change Action Council, however the ABC acknowledges her expertise is not in the meteorological or physical science aspects of climate issues.

The ABC editor's note forgot to mention Dr Crowley's qualifications, for the record here they are from Dr Crowley's UTAS Bio page (here):

Bachelor of Arts - Monash University, Victoria

Diploma of Education - Rusden College, Victoria

Graduate Diploma of Recreation - Phillip Institute of Technology, Victoria

PhD - University of Tasmania (Thesis title: Power & environmental policy: Tasmanian ecopolitics from Pedder to Wesley Vale)

Certainly no physical Science expertise there, surely Dr Crowley gave the journalist a clear and honest indication of her area of expertise. Even if she somehow forgot to mention it given Dr Crowley's previous involvement with the ABC (See here and here for example) surely the ABC journalist involved knew this already. With this in mind it is difficult to see how such a mistake could have been made.

Dr Crowley is current head of department of Government at the University of Tasmania. Her research interests include Green politics policy and governance, and Climate change governance and policy.

ABC Editorial Policy on Use of specialist commentators (section 5.7.2) states:

5.7.2 If a guest commentator or analyst has a relevant interest in the issue being discussed, that interest should be declared. If specific information about the commentator would alter the audience’s perception of the view presented, that information must be disclosed. These disclosures must not invade the legitimate rights to privacy of a commentator or analyst.

One hopes the mystery journalist involved has learnt from this lesson.

"From the Vault" - digging up past corrections and clarifications from the ABC archives.