Maurice our hero

Former ABC Chairmen Maurice Newman on irrational comparisons made by climate catastrophist Robyn Williams in today's Australian. Three cheers for Maurice!

ABC clique in control of climate

LAST month in this newspaper, I wrote an irreverent piece, "Losing Their Religion As Evidence Cools Off", illustrating how the global warming establishment was like a religion, replete with the structure, scripture and financial resources required to promote a faith-based movement and how it is losing disciples as the truth wears off.

I don't know about other readers, but at the ABC, for those with the religion it hit a nerve.

On November 24, Robyn Williams intoned to his audience on ABC's The Science Show, "if I told you that pedophilia is good for children, or asbestos is an excellent inhalant for those with asthma, or, that smoking crack is a normal part and a healthy one of teenage life, you'd rightly find it outrageous. Similar statements are coming out of inexpert mouths again and again, distorting the science". My article was given as an example of an anti-scientific position.

Really? Questioning climate science is like advocating pedophilia, abetting mesothelioma and pushing drugs to teenagers? Well yes, according to the ABC's science man. Stephan Lewandowsky, a guest on the program, asserted that those with a free market background were, according to his research, more likely to be sceptical of science. As well as climate science, "they are also rejecting the link between smoking and lung cancer; they are rejecting the link between HIV and AIDS", the professor said. Happily, it was extremely difficult to detect people on the "Left side of politics who are rejecting scientific evidence".

Read the rest at the Oz.

Chairman's old history: Part 2

Some more clipping for the 1970s.
In 1975 ABC's new chairman was appointed to head the Department of the Media. Deputy PM at the time, Dr Jim Cairns, had this to say about the appointment: "It is common in most countries especially the USA and the UK, for governments to appoint a person who is sympathetic to their point of view to these positions." (Cairns supports Spigelman, SMH 19/6/1975). 

From "Libs find the public service alive and stinging" The Age Sept. 8, 1975

"This is another blatant misuse of Labor executive power following the appointments of Messrs Wilenski, Spilgelman and Menedue and many others", Mr Garland declared.

"It is clear the government has learned nothing from earlier criticisms of permanent and partisan appointments, which damage the integrity of the Public Service"

From "Menedue's Efficiency impresses Fraser" SMH Nov.13, 1975
"Liberal ministers expect Mr Spigelman to resign if the coalition wins the December 13 election. They say that both his political associations and his lack of experience in the Public Service make him unacceptable as the head of another department."

On the position of chairman, Richard Ackland recently stated, in a piece  headed "Man for all seasons just what the ABC needs" More than that the chairperson is the very embodiment of the independence and excellence of the entire outfit.

Ackland ends: "The other job for which he would have been an excellent choice is chair of Ray Finkelstein's proposed News Media Council. Too late. Now he's got an entire, vast, publicly funded and vitally important media organisation to play with."

Chairman's old history-one of the Shepard's Hut gang

"Mr Spigelman one of the Shepard's Hut gang"
While its old history we found this press clipping from the July 6, 1975 edition of the Sydney Morning Herald of interest in relation to ABC's new Chairman. Best to read it via the link above unless you have really good eyesight.

SMH 6/7/1975

New Chairman

ABC have a new Chairman, James Spigelman, whom the Sydney Morning Herald describe in their Editor's Pick as "A man for all Seasons". Richard Ackland's gushing piece contains this line: "More than that the chairperson is the very embodiment of the independence and excellence of the entire outfit."

With this in mind, its helpful that one little fact missing from Ackland's piece has now been  pointed out in today's SMH letters page:

ABC of politics

In your report of the appointment of the ABC's previous chairman, Maurice Newman, in 2006 (Stock Exchange chief to chair ABC-14/12/2006), Mr Newman's political connections and close association with then Prime Minister, John Howard, were covered. However in covering the appointment of James Spigelman no mention is made of Spigelman's past connection to the Labor Party (''Former judge Jim Spigelman to be appointed ABC chairman'', March 8).

In the 1970s he served as a senior adviser to Gough Whitlam. It seems that the practice of appointing political allies to key government positions lives on under Prime Minister Gillard.

Marc Hendrickx

ABC NEWS WATCH wishes the new Chairman well. Here's hoping he will be more successful tackling ABC's Groupthink culture than previous chairman Maurice Newman. The ABC is for all Australians not just a select few.