Climate experts

Jennifer Marohasy has an interesting discussion under the title "National Broadcaster Willfully Ignores the Evidence" that is worth reading. ABC's selection of "experts" certainly seems narrowly focused.

More climate Groupthink

The CSIRO says: “At this stage, renewal of a rain-generating process with La Niña bringing higher rainfall to SEQ might be expected to last for 10 to 20 years,” Dr Cai said.

When asked about drought and flooding cycles ABC's Groupthinking Richard Glover (who has an Arts degree) says: "Hmm. You know, there's been a debate about global warming and, you know, I guess most people think it probably it probably is worse and it may have an impact. But yes, it is something which we are used to."

The Floods: Unprecedented reporting

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), Thursday 25 March 1926, page 9

ABC Report: "Kerang and Warracknabeal are in uncharted territory, with floods like this never seen since European settlement. A lack of historical data is causing difficulties for authorities, unable to pinpoint the timing of record flows in at-risk towns."


Except perhaps for October 1894:

Warracknabeal: Great Flood at Warracknabeal, the township under water (from The Argus Thursday 11 October 1894) Warracknabeal is today under water, having been visited by the greatest flood known here since 1870.

Or August 1909 (from The Advertiser Tuesday 24 August 1909) The streets of Warracknabeal are still under water, and hundreds of families are unable to get into their houses. Fourteen families were accommodated at the hospital last night, and others found shelter in the shire hall, the railway-station, and the hotels. The residence of Mr. John Smith has collapsed, the foundations having been washed clean away, while other buildings are tottering.

ABC report in January 2011 "the levee protecting Warracknabeal appears to be holding up."

Warracknabeal, Victoria, Aug 1909-Victoria Museum

Kerang: (from The Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 25 August 1909) The Loddon flood waters broke through the levees at Kerang last night, inundating mostof the town, and all business was suspendedThousands of acres are submerged, and farm-ers are leaving their homes in all directions.

ABC report in January 2011 "The SES is optimistic Kerang in northern Victoria will not be flooded, but warns the town could be isolated for days."

Here's a few more articles:

Floods in the Loddon, Kerang The Argus Thursday 22 June 1893

Floods at Kerang The Argus Wednesday 28 September 1921

Floods at Kerang The Argus Wednesday 13 December 1933

In this age of point and click, with references at your finger tips 24-7-365 ABC's reporting once again fails the test with history once again forgotten. The only thing unprecedented about the floods is ABC's abysmal reporting.

Before the ABC: Horsham Floods

ABC report  that "More than 40 towns in Victoria have already been affected by unprecedented water levels."
These news reports from 1908-1920 suggest there may be more to come with Horsham affected by flooding 9 times in 13 years during a period when the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation was negative*.

Floods at Horsham The Argus Saturday 5 September 1908

Devastating floods. The Argus Saturday 21 August 1909
Horsham Streets Inundated The Argus Wednesday 7 September 1910

Mallee Rains Friday 10 February 1911

Horsham Streets Invaded The Argus Wednesday 18 September 1912
Horsham under water The Argus Thursday 23 September 1915Part of Horsham Inundated The Argus Thursday 31 August 1916
Horsham residents leave homes The Argus Wednesday 17 July 1918
Floods at Horsham The Argus Tuesday 14 September 1920

(*see for instance Figure 4 from Stafford Smith et al "Learning from episodes of degradation and recovery in variable Australian rangelands")





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ABC people will need to grow thicker skins

The following statement was included in a recent reply from ABC "Please note that the ABC is making changes to its self-regulatory arrangements in 2011 and the Complaints Review Executive and Independent Complaints Review Panel will be discontinued on a date to be announced. Should you wish to pursue your complaint with either of these bodies, please do so within 14 days."

The review available from: http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/documents/review_of_the_abc_self_regulation_framework_1009.pdf

The summary statement includes this gem: ABC people will need to grow thicker skins.

Highest Temperature in Asia-a correction

In a piece for ABC Unleashed last year titled "Action must prevail in Cancun",  Andrew Hewett, Executive Director of Oxfam Australia, claimed that "2010 was one of the hottest years ever recorded with Pakistan logging a scorching 53.7°C – the highest ever temperature recorded in Asia."

This is not true, according to the WMO this record is held by Israel.
Following our complaint an editorial note has been added to the piece that reads: Editor's Note: Although 53.7 degrees is the highest temperature ever recorded in Pakistan, Asia's highest temperature remains 53.9 degrees, recorded in Israel in 1942.

From ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs, received 19/1/2011

In considering the factual content in this article the program team noted that the data you refer to was from a pre-eminent NGO working in the area of area of poverty reduction and its intersection with climate issues,  and that Mr Hewett was drawing on a recently published report by Oxfam "Now more than ever".   Given the program team considered the source of this data, in the context of an opinion piece, Audience and Consumer Affairs is satisfied that reasonable steps were taken by Unleashed to ensure accuracy, in keeping with our standards.

Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the claim that Pakistan had experienced the highest ever temperature in Asia in 2010 is incorrect.  Given this, Innovation decided to place an editor's note at the base of the story which states: “Editor's Note: Although 53.7 degrees is the highest temperature ever recorded in Pakistan, Asia's highest temperature remains 53.9 degrees, recorded in Israel in 1942."

Thank you again for taking the time to write and to alert us to this issue.

Interesting that ABC considers a "pre-eminent" NGO a reliable source of meteorological phenomena. One wonders if the rest of the report is similarly affected by factual errors.

Score +1

Before the ABC-Great flood at Echuca

ABC headline states: "Historic floodwaters swamp Victorian towns". Here's another story from a time before the ABC that helps put things into perspective.

Great Flood at Echuca (SMH-Tuesday 20 September 1870)
THE border country to the south-west has been visited by one of the severest floods experienced there for many years. The Riverine Herald states that the principal thorough-fare at Echuca (High-street), was submerged on the 10th instant, and that the houses flooded and property jeopardised or destroyed, indicate a flood higher than almost any, not quite all, from which Echuca has yet suffered.

Read the rest via the link above. Many more at the National Library's Newspaper Archive.