Moaning about the demise of Maurice Newman, Australia's high profile climate conspiracy theorist

On Anthony Watts' climate conspiracy blog WUWT, Eric Worrall is moaning about Maurice Newman (archived here). In another move showing that he does take climate change seriously (albeit within political constraints), Australia's new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, will not be re-appointing Maurice to the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council, which he chaired under Tony Abbott.

Maurice Newman is an uber conspiracy theorist of the Tim Ball kind. I've written about his wacky ideas on a number of occasions. He's not just a denier, he's a hard core conspiracy nutter who thinks, for example, that the sustainability action plan, Agenda 21, is some sort of evil plot. Eric Worrall couldn't be more wrong when he writes:

Releasing outspoken skeptic Maurice Newman from his advisory role seems unlikely to help Turnbull’s credibility on climate issues. 

Contrary to what Eric thinks, it will be a relief to almost everyone. I'd say most especially to the other members of the council. And it will lift the PM's credibility in regard to climate.

A science denying fan of Monckton as Science Minister?

There is talk that Dennis Jensen is putting up his hand for the Science portfolio in the new Abbott government.  They say that people get the government they deserve but I really don't know what appalling sins the Australian people could have committed that would make them deserve such a thing.

Dennis Jensen denies science

Dennis Jensen in the Australian Federal Parliament 20 September 2011 couldn't be more clear:

I do not accept the premise of anthropogenic climate change, I do not accept that we are causing significant global warming and I reject the findings of the IPCC and its local scientific affiliates.

Dennis Jensen instead espouses the "teachings" of an eccentric entertainer

Dennis Jensen rejects science and follows the ramblings of an eccentric (being kind) entertainer from England, Monckton:

"Most of the stuff [Lord Monckton] says is entirely reasonable," Dr Jensen said.

Wow!  Just wow.  Here is a HotWhopper list of articles on Monckton's idiocy.  And click here for many more examples from Barry Bickmore.  And of course, SkepticalScience has been pointing out his silliness for years now.  Monckton even went too far for right wing blogger Andrew Bolt, in line with the Laws of Monckton.

Dennis Jensen demonstrates his ignorance of climate science

These tweets from Jensen are more examples of his ignorance.  In this first one Jensen demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the field, his notion about "models" is back to front.  The science isn't based on the models, it's the models that are based on the physics.  Science describes global warming without the need for models - including the physics of greenhouse gases and paleoclimatology.  The models are built to explore the complexities and to better explain what the long term future will bring under different scenarios.

@josh1782 @razhorses Only argument for AGW is models, nd they have not predicted stasis in last decade. So models falsified
— Dennis Jensen MP (@DennisJensenMP) June 14, 2013

Would Dennis Jensen MP really appoint James Delingpole, interpreter of interpretations to a climate hatchet job?

Jensen is a run-of-the-mill average ordinary science denier of the "climate has always changed" flavour.

Lots more here and here.

Dennis Jensen is an engineer not a climate scientist

Dennis has a PhD in materials engineering on ceramics, Going by the above tweet, Dennis hasn't heard of paleoclimatology, nor about the greenhouse effect.  Back to school for you, Dennis!  Although evidence suggests that if he's a dyed in the wool engineering denier there's not much hope for him as far as scientific understanding goes.  If he's both an engineering denier and an ideological science denier, then there's even less hope.

Dennis Jensen rejects the physics of the greenhouse effect

@GregRudd1 @OakeyMP Not at all. However, some theories have more rigorous supporting evidence than others. AGW models not supported by data
— Dennis Jensen MP (@DennisJensenMP) June 3, 2013

Oh no?  More evidence that Dennis denies the science.  All the evidence supports the fact that it is the increase in greenhouse gases that is causing global warming.

Dennis Jensen campaigns with conspiracy theorists

Dennis Jensen is an avowed "skeptic" and spoke at a fake sceptic event organised by conspiracy theorist "JoanneNova", which was also attended by Monckton - archived here from the JoanneNova website.

"JoNova" and her partner David Evans are conspiracy theorists of the one world government, fiat currency, Agenda21 type - along with "organisations" like Malcolm Roberts' Galileo Movement (which even Andrew Bolt disavows).  Western Australia has more than its fair share of cranks.  These people are every bit as nutty as Christopher Monckton.

Dennis Jensen proudly denies science on facebook

If you want to see just how ignorant Jensen is about climate science, have a gander at his new "update" on his facebook page.  Hopefully it's enough to put an end to any hopes he might have had for the science portfolio.  On the other hand, the LNP had, of all people, anti-science Sophie Mirabella as its shadow Minister for Science!  So you never know.

Will the Australian "government" become the laughing stock of the world?

Dennis Jensen comes across as just another nutter.  If he is ever appointed to the Science portfolio you can guarantee that if it wasn't already (given the election of Tony "climate change is crap" Abbott), Australia will be the laughing stock of the world.