Well actually Foxy, we didn't really vote Abbott in at all did we?
He was voted in by his party with only one vote majority, so even his own party are not all behind him!

Maybe I am naive, but I always thought the politicians took advice from the scientific experts on subjects such as climate change?

As far as I can see, Abbott takes his advice from the Bible, and we all know that the people who wrote that believed the earth was flat!
God help us all.

CJ Morgan: "The scientific facts don't matter to Abbott, Minchin"

Really? What made you think that?

Lets see:

- Howard says kids are thrown overboard, while ensuring he doesn't get the hear first hand reports from the Navy until he has won the election.

- Howard accepts and defends George Bush'es assertion that Iraq is an an epicentre of terrorism and harbours weapons of mass destruction, while the UN appointed inspector who has spent years in the place says the reverse.

- Minchin says cigarette smoke isn't harmful, quoting a Tobacco institute study.

- Abbott, Rhodes Scholar and obviously highly intelligent man, says AGW is crap while admitting he hasn't looked at the evidence put forward by science.

If there are political fortunes to be won at the cost of telling a few blatant lies, surely it must be patently obvious to blind Freddy what passes for the "right" now will choose lies and political expedience over honesty and principle. This has become their modus operandi.

It wasn't always like that. At least I hope not, as I used to vote for them. And I imagine it can't remain like this. Surely to god Australia won't vote for a man who denies AGW while openly admitting he hasn't considered the evidence. Surely he and his political ilk will be consigned to the political dustbin. Surely?

Actually examinator, these clowns don't and cannot decide the validity of scientific issues.

What they can do however is decide and debate on on the validity and appropriateness of political action required from them in the face of such issues. It's not science, it's politics. That pretty much sums up most of the anti-climate science crowd. Their politics and political senses tell them that it's not right for them (it's Socialism by stealth, lefty BS, New World Order or whatever), the science and evidence they decide to believe only comes after.

Some people laugh at conspiracy theorists, but I have found that the propensity for conspiracy theory-type thinking exists in just about all of us, sadly. It mostly comes out of frustration at a perception of not having their opinions valued and not being able to 'win'.

Ironically, because of the recognition of this, the more shrill the accusations of conspiracy, the less I am inclined to listen.

Strange bunch.

I would have thought opposing something you knew nothing about was much more sensible, than wanting to introduce a law to change something you know nothing about.

That hasn't stopped our Ruddie however, has it?

Good morning hasbeen, you are not Minchin are you?
Sound a lot like him.
Your ideas have driven conservatives into a corner, have no doubt for them internal war is about to be long and hard.
Now lets forget science, look at world population growth in the last 100 years.
Add the impact of industrialization, development of the petroleum industry, motor cars, trucks, trains and planes.
If we have not played a roll in climate change why not?
While my party is not yet with me, they will be, if, hate agreeing with conservatives,
We sell our uranium, and build our own Nuclear power stations, this small country will cut not just our own green house gasses but have a dramatic impact on the whole worlds outputs.

Hmm Belly,
So far as I, a self confessed scientific ignoramus can ascertain it was science which enabled mankind to flourish to the extent of unmanageable overpopulation. Science has brought us a few good things I must admit. It has also brought us pollution, weapons of mass destruction it has brought us the ability to keep useless members of our society much longer at ever increasing expense to decent people. Ever bothered to check the amount of waste from drug treatment centers & hospitals ? Oh yes, science is great but not as great as many like to believe. Yes I can not understand how Govt. Ministers get portfolios of which they know nothing about & when the Peter Principle cuts in we're left to cop the mess. Yes Tony Abbott was elected by a handful of people, Kevin Rudd's election was sanctioned by millions. Which is the more scary scenario ? At the 1930's german elections the National Sozialists romped in at the polls. They then really made use of science.
I'm merely saying that science like everything else, is at the mercy of indoctrinated egotists & always misused.