Friday, January 30, 2009

Wrong Wong

The miserably hot conditions in southern Australia (it got to 45.1oC* at 4-30 pm in Melbourne as I write) over the past few days have attacked the brain of Climate Change Minister Penny Wong.  She claims the conditions confirm the warnings given by scientists about climate change.  They do no such thing.  As I have pointed out before meteorologists claim that 50 years temperature data is necessary to confirm temperature changes not 4 days.

* That is 113.18oF. This does seem to be a Victorian record high temperature. (Update: Wrong Harry, it got to 47.2oC in Mildura in 1939. The highest temperature in Australia ever was in Oodnadatta in 1960 when it got to a frigid 50.1oC).
Posted by hc at 4:28 pm
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Harry, Let's be specific about Wong said.

From the article you link to:

"Obviously you have to look on a much longer time frame than week to week, but what we do know is that 11 of the hottest years in history have been in the last 12 (years)," Ms Wong said.

This is true. Indeed the rirst part is exactly the point you are making.

"And we also know, particularly in the southern part of Australia, that we've seen less rainfall.

Also true.

"All of this is consistent with climate change and all of this is consistent with what scientists told us would happen."

A bit sus, but you'll notice Wong chooses her words carefully. She says "consistent with", not "caused by".

You could even say that it's no worse than the climate change deniers saying a cold day in Winter is proof that climate change isn't happening. As you know, they do this all the time.

But if we hold Ministers to a higher standard than, say, Andrew Bolt, then you have a point about the last sentence. Naughty Wong.

9:31 pm
hc said...

I read the whole statement and I think it is evasively deceptive if not inconsistent. The headline message is clear.

And as that great Labor man Artie Caldwell said "Two wongs don't make it right" or is that wong too.

10:28 pm
Anonymous said...

Harry, you've made a meal of what Calwell actually said, which was "Two Wongs don't make a white". He said this in 1947 when as Immigration Minister he denied residence to a Chinese couple, Mr and Mrs Wong, because to have done so would have been inconsistent with the White Australia Policy.

10:42 pm
hc said...

I didn't 'make a meal of it' - I distorted it with humourous intent. Obviously failed.

11:16 pm
Anonymous said...

I don't know Harry. This trying to be nuanced on climate change is going to get you into trouble. :)

12:16 pm

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