Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) (a) and (b) No.

(2) This is not an accurate representation of the issue. Australian international collaboration has been growing over the past decade, as measured by the number of Australian publications with international co-authors (see Health of Australian Science report, Chapter 6).

(a) No advice was received

(b) None as yet.

(3) In general, the same as a role on any other Board. The Climate Change Authority Act 2011 stipulates that:

the Chief Scientist will be one of nine members of the CCA;

the Chief Scientist holds office on a part-time basis; and

the Chief Scientist will not be paid a remuneration or allowances.

(4) As the Australian Government's provider of measurement science expertise and infrastructure, the National Measurement Institute (NMI) within DIISRTE will provide policy and services and/or technical advice to the CCA. NMI is working with the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE) to ensure that there is a sound measurement basis to the emissions reporting that is required for Australian carbon pricing mechanisms to work locally and as part of international systems.

(5) Two reports from the DCCEE were released in 2009 and 2011 respectively, providing comprehensive assessments of the risks of sea-level rise and other climate change impacts to Australia's coasts and coastal infrastructure. These reports are the definitive references for climate change impacts in Australia and by inference in NSW.

The reports do not single out any one area as facing the highest risk from projected sea-level rise and flooding. Rather, in the framework used by DCCEE to assess coastal vulnerability, each coastal state and territory has a range of vulnerabilities depending on observed and projected sea-level rise, coastal landforms and ecosystems, tides, storm surge risk, infrastructure and population.

The Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, with support from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, provides a set of tools for assessing the risk of marine inundation at any given area of the Australian coastline. These tools would allow the assessment of the risk of coastal flooding due to sea-level change along different areas of the New South Wales coast.

(6) Professor Chubb was consulted on proposed membership and operations as part of a review of PMSEIC arrangements undertaken by the then Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, following which recommendations were made to the Minister and the Prime Minister.

The membership is not one based on organisations but individuals. Members are appointed for their expertise and the complementarity of that expertise overall.

The membership number should be small enough to allow substantial exchanges of view.

There is provision to invite those with particular expertise to any meeting – including Ministers. And that also includes, for example, the head of DSTO, when a defence-specific matter is before the Council. The same applies to other organisations.

(7) Professor Chubb has seen 'articles' relating to death threats to Australian Climate scientists.

(8) Professor Chubb cannot confirm that ANU scientists received death threats. He has no recollection of ever having been told that they did, nor having said that they did.

(9) Professor Chubb would not know.

(10) No.

(11) No.

(12) No.

(13) (a) (i) No.

  (ii) Coombs Building.

  (iii) Not known.

  (iv) Professor Chubb cannot recall.

(b) (i) Not by Professor Chubb.

  (ii) The staff were in a part of a building accessible by the public. They were unsettled by emails and visits 'off the street.' Professor Chubb agreed to their move at that time. He does say that moving staff is not a novel concept, and is done whenever and for whatever purpose thought necessary. Professor Chubb always took his responsibilities as an employer seriously.

  (iii) Not that Professor Chubb is aware.

(14) Not as far as his involvement is concerned.

(15) No.