People send me stuff.
Just last week we heard that Dr. Robert Carter had been blackballed at his own university where he served as department chair, and now we have this from Dr. Murray Salby, sent via email.
Between John Cook, Stephan Lewandowsky, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, plus Mike Marriot and his idiotic ideas, I’m beginning to think Australia is ground zero for AGW crackpottery.
This email’s accusations (if true I have independent confirmation now, title changed to reflect this – Anthony) is quite something, it illustrates the disturbing lengths a university will go to suppress ideas they don’t agree with. So much for academic freedom at Macquarie University.
From: [redacted]
Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 2:25 PM
To: [redacted]
Subject: From Murry Salby
Thanks for your interest in the research presented during my recent lecture tour in Europe.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2013/06/another-nail-in-the-climate-change-coffin.php
Remarks from several make it clear that Macquarie University
is comfortable with openly disclosing the state of affairs,
if not distorting them to its convenience. So be it.
Macquarie’s liberal disclosure makes continued reticence unfeasible.
In response to queries is the following, a matter of record:
1. In 2008, I was recruited from the US by “Macquarie University”,
with appointment as Professor, under a national employment contract with
regulatory oversight, and with written agreement that Macquarie would provide
specified resources to enable me to rebuild my research program in Australia.
Included was technical support to convert several hundred thousand lines of computer code,
comprising numerical models and analyses (the tools of my research),
to enable those computer programs to operate in Australia.
2. With those contractual arrangements, I relocated to Australia.
Upon attempting to rebuild my research program, Macquarie advised that
the resources it had agreed to provide were unavailable. I was given an excuse for why.
Half a year later, I was given another excuse. Then another.
Requests to release the committed resources were ignored.
3. Three years passed before Macquarie produced even the first major component
of the resources it had agreed to provide. After five years of cat-and-mouse,
Macquarie has continued to withhold the resources that it had committed.
As a result, my computer models and analyses remain inoperative.
4. A bright student from Russia came to Macquarie to work with me.
Macquarie required her to abandon her PhD scholarship in Russia.
Her PhD research, approved by Macquarie, relied upon the same computer
models and analyses, which Macquarie agreed to have converted but did not.
5. To remedy the situation, I petitioned Macquarie through several avenues provided
in my contract. Like other contractual provisions, those requests were ignored.
The provisions then required the discrepancy to be forwarded to the Australian employment tribunal,
the government body with regulatory oversight.
The tribunal then informed me that Macquarie had not even registered my contract.
Regulatory oversight, a statutory protection that Macquarie advised would govern
my appointment, was thereby circumvented. Macquarie’s failure to register
rendered my contract under the national employment system null and void.
6. During the protracted delay of resources, I eventually undertook the production
of a new book – all I could do without the committed resources to rebuild my research program.
The endeavor compelled me to gain a better understanding of greenhouse gases
and how they evolve. Preliminary findings from this study are familiar to many.
http://www.thesydneyinstitute.com.au/speaker/murry-salby/ Refer to the vodcast of July 24, 2012.
Insight from this research contradicts many of the reckless claims surrounding greenhouse gases.
More than a few originate from staff at Macquarie, which benefits from such claims.
7. The preliminary findings seeded a comprehensive study of greenhouse gases.
Despite adverse circumstances, the wider study was recently completed. It indicates:
(i) Modern changes of atmospheric CO2 and methane are (contrary to popular belief)
not unprecedented.
(ii) The same physical law that governs ancient changes of atmospheric CO2 and methane
also governs modern changes.
These new findings are entirely consistent with the preliminary findings,
which evaluated the increase of 20th century CO2 from changes in native emission.
8. Under the resources Macquarie had agreed to provide, arrangements were made
to present this new research at a scientific conference and in a lecture series at
research centers in Europe.
9. Forms for research travel that were lodged with Macquarie included a description
of the findings. Presentation of our research was then blocked by Macquarie.
The obstruction was imposed after arrangements had been made at several venues
(arranged then to conform to other restrictions imposed by Macquarie).
Macquarie’s intervention would have silenced the release of our research.
10. Following the obstruction of research communication, as well as my earlier efforts
to obtain compliance with my contract, Macquarie modified my professional duties.
My role was then reduced to that of a student teaching assistant: Marking student papers
for other staff – junior staff.
I objected, pursuant to my appointment and provisions of my contract.
11. In February 2013, Macquarie then accused me of “misconduct”,
cancelling my salary. It blocked access to my office, computer resources,
even to personal equipment I had transferred from the US.
My Russian student was prohibited from speaking with me.
She was isolated – left without competent supervision
and the resources necessary to complete her PhD investigation,
research that Macquarie approved when it lured her from Russia.
12. Obligations to present our new research on greenhouse gases (previously arranged),
had to be fulfilled at personal expense.
13. In April, The Australian (the national newspaper), published an article which
grounded reckless claims by the so-called Australian Climate Commission:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/last-summer-was-not-actually-angrier-than-other-summers/story-e6frgd0x-1226611988057 (Open access via Google News)
To promote the Climate Commission’s newest report is the latest sobering claim:
“one in two chance that by 2100 there’ll be no human beings left on this planet”
Two of the six-member Australian Climate Commission are Macquarie staff.
Included is its Chief Commissioner.
14. While I was in Europe presenting our new research on greenhouse gases,
Macquarie undertook its misconduct proceedings – with me in absentia.
Macquarie was well informed of the circumstances. It was more than informed.
15. Upon arriving at Paris airport for my return to Australia, I was advised that
my return ticket (among the resources Macquarie agreed to provide) had been cancelled.
The latest chapter in a pattern, this action left me stranded in Europe,
with no arrangements for lodging or return travel.
The ticket that had been cancelled was non-refundable.
16. The action ensured my absence during Macquarie’s misconduct proceedings.
17. When I eventually returned to Australia, I lodged a complaint with the
Australian employment tribunal, under statutes that prohibit retaliatory conduct.
18. In May 2013, while the matter was pending before the employment tribunal,
Macquarie terminated my appointment.
19. Like the Australian Climate Commission, Macquarie is a publically-funded enterprise.
It holds a responsibility to act in the interests of the public.
20. The recent events come with curious timing, disrupting publication of our research
on greenhouse gases. With correspondence, files, and computer equipment confiscated,
that research will now have to be pursued by Macquarie University’s “Climate Experts”.
http://www.science.mq.edu.au/news_and_events/news/climate_change_commision
Murry Salby
Amazing what can happen under the cover of Godwin’s Law! None dare call it you-know-what. (See what I mean?) C.S. Lewis wrote about an unholy alliance between the academy and government in his fabulous novel, That Hideous Strength. Dr. Salby’s story is strongly reminiscent of the evil machinations it describes. This kind of insitutional evil should become the nucleus of the next John Grisham blockbuster!
Kudos to Anthony for helping to expose the “deeds done in darkness”.
NOT surprised. Macquarie University excluded me from my own invention, filed a provisonal patent application without informing, gave my inttelectual property to others to commercialise (+ a research grant) who seemingly only attempted too modify the invention for personal gain (and completely failed), Eventually denied any wrongdoing and returned the IP to me as that was all OK now and I should have nothing to complain about. This university has a lot to be ashamed about. I am sure there are many who have been treated just this way.
Whatever you do; preserve the original email thought to be fro Murry Salby; with all its headers. Message headers tell an important story. They contain important forensic information for further investigation.
This leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth. 5 years of this man’s life made a misery (not to menton that of his poor phd student) by deliberate obstruction and breaking of the law. Why did they take him on in the first place if they were so anti his views? It sounds as though it was a strategy evolved to silence dissent. I know we are mocked for conspiracy theories, but why would they lure Dr (Murry, by the way – typo in heading) Salby to Oz, then not come up with the funds for his research and not register his contract? From then on it seems downhill all the way. And five year’s of research lost, five year’s of this man’s life deliberately made unpleasant following a massive move and change of lifestyle embarked upon with enthusiasm. And, having been so systematically stymied, what chances has he now of re-employment in academia?
Sue the socks off them. It’s outrageous behaviour and should not go unpunished.
Murry Salby was apparently professor for five years. Does anyone know of any scientific papers that he wrote (published or not) in that time?
REPLY: Nick, sometimes I think your head is up your arse. This is one of those times. How could he publish in that sort of environment? – Anthony
I couldn’t resist having a vent at Macquarie University – pity I didn’t have the Chancellors address.
Childish I know, but made me feel better!
lyn.danninger@mq.edu.au;
Dear Lyn,
Is that man, Tim Flannery, who said people would leave Perth because they would run out of water, that our dams would never be full again, who caused hundred of millions of dollars of taxpayers money to be wasted on desalination plants, who warned of catastrophic sea level rise and then bought a water front home, who engineered the totally despicable treatment of a real climate scientist, Murry Salby, still working at Macquarie?
If so, shame on you all. I hope Murry Salby sues the pants of the university. As it is, Macquarie is a worldwide laughing stock.
It is a shame how Macquarie university did handle this case. One may have differences in opinion, as is often the case for academic topics, but the way they handled this is as unademic as possible: pure dictatorial, suppressing any disagreement with the so called “consensus”.
Not that I agree with point 7 of the long list, as the current increase is unprecedented in the past 800 kyears. Salby’s opinion on ice cores is based on a purely theoretical occurance of CO2 diffusion in ice cores which in reality doesn’t exist.
They are entering stage four, where they actively suppress dissenting views, However problematic it is for the hero Murry Salby , it is a plus for us dedicated anti warmists. People, the punters in OZ speak,, will see it for what it is. It’s not a very pleasant Is.
Nick Stokes says:
July 8, 2013 at 11:43 pm
“Murry Salby was apparently professor for five years. Does anyone know of any scientific papers that he wrote (published or not) in that time?”
Try reading… his whole research project was stoped by the move and then blocked from starting back up again. He states this in the letter. Then goes on to state he is writing and book…. reading its for kids.
AIg News is going to be interesting this quarter – and as I’m an alumni of Macquarie University, this is also their Rubicon.
I don’t think “crackpottery” is quite the word for what Macquarie appear to be doing. Crackpottery means harmless eccentricity, and presents no threat to anyone, at least not knowingly. Macquarie, on the other hand, appear to be carrying out deliberate, targeted, vicious attacks on the academic freedom of Dr. Salby and his Russian student – possibly other individuals too, who knows?
We shouldn’t be so accommodating of this sort of behaviour on behalf of the Macquaries of the world. The cheap politicking of these intellectual dwarves should be blogged LOUDLY all over the net, and organisations supporting truth – Heartland, GWPF, whoever – need to swing in and offer full support for Dr. Salby in suing Macquarie for as many as possible of their uneducational activities. Drag them into the spotlight and shred them.
Irrespective of the science, this is a disgraceful way for a university to treat any academic, let alone a guest of the country. I sincerely hope that McQuarrie’s attempt to silence and exile Dr Salby will back-fire, and his ground breaking research gets the attention it deserves. Salby’s scientific approach and findings obviously scared the crap out of the alarmist establishment, such that they had to thwart him at every opportunity and prevent publication. I hope first that he can secure access to his data, and then find employment and a good base to continue his work and get it published. There must be some universities left where they still practice science with integrity and have a genuine ethical approach to their employees? Or as it seems the case with McQuarrie, have they all been taken over by dogmatic cult psyientists who can’t even contemplate the possibility that AGW is not a serious problem after all?
I sympathize, Murray. I do because I am familiar with situations such as these and, sadly, far worse. Mobbing in the workplace is common place in the academia and I have direct experience regarding universities in four continents. Sabotaging classes, using students as weapons, personal harassment, etc. There are those that recommend legal action and I too think it is the correct way to proceed. However, it demands a degree of self-sacrifice that few can muster. Don’t put yourself in that position unless you are confident you can go the distance. You’ve already paid for the mistake of accepting a fraudulent contract and have been made to waste years of precious research. Are you sure you can take more damage? The awful truth is that, even if you can find the actual person(s) behind this, they will hide behind the institution and nothing whatsoever will come to them, no matter what. Protected by that impregnability, they will be formidable enemies. Best of luck.
Nick, Anthony and temp, did any of you bother to actually check if Salby has published any articles? As a matter of fact he did publish some papers on the ozone layer such as
“Rebound of Antarctic ozone”, GRL, Volume 38, Issue 9, 16 May 2011
“Changes of the Antarctic ozone hole: Controlling mechanisms, seasonal predictability, and evolution”, JGR Volume 117, Issue D10, 27 May 2012.
REPLY: According to his summary at McQuarrie, his last publication was 2008.
http://envsci.mq.edu.au/staff/ms/pubs.html
That’s what I was basing it on. – Anthony
Another possibility is that rather than being obstructed for five years, he was played along.
@stan stendera, if this is stage four please don’t tell me what stage five is.
Indigo says:
July 8, 2013 at 11:47 pm
I couldn’t resist having a vent at Macquarie University – pity I didn’t have the Chancellors address…
*
I think your letter was brilliant, Indigo. Well done!
Berényi Péter says:
July 8, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Heh, I thought Australia was a Constitutional State, with Rule of Law & all. Apparently not.
******************************************************************************************
Only a Part Constitution as such but we are supposed to have rule of law but again, Australia is a Marxist left wing totalitarian country after six years of Rudd – Gillard – Rudd. We were halfway Marxist even while Howard was Prime Minister but it has nearly gone all the way now. Universities are as Marxist as you can get, I bet they even put USSR Uni’s of the 80’s to shame. Government – Uni’s hand in hand leads to corruption and shenanigans like this story.
If anyone wants to review history they should look at the days of Rum Economy and Rum Rebellion of over 200 years ago. Nothing has changed.
This outrage is being taken up at the highest political level here in Australia. An influential section of the media has also been informed. It is a blight on the proud history of Australian scientific integrity and, if all the facts are as stated, cannot be allowed to stand.
“Nick, sometimes I think your head is up your arse. This is one of those times. How could he publish in that sort of environment? – Anthony”
At least for the first three years, the complaint seems to be that the Uni didn’t provide technical assistance for “converting” (whatever that means) a program of some hundreds of thousands of lines to work in Australia. We don’t actually speak different computer languages here. But anyway, that should not leave him unable to write anything at all. He was on a full-time salary.
It’s actually a real question. One of my puzzles about the Salby theories, is that I’ve seen nothing recent from him in writing at all – not even a blog post. I’m always being told to listen to a podcast to a political group, or lately a DVD.
Macquarie Uni is not the only Australian research institution enveloped in scandal and and accused of dirty dealings:
CSIRO: the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia.
CSIRO is supposed to be the leading research organization in Australia.
Analogous to, say, Riken [Japan], NRC [Canada], the National Laboratories [LBL, FNAL, . . .] and the NIH [USA], etc.
However,
1/ Climate Change Censorship: Spash Scandal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research_Organisation#Climate_Change_Censorship:_Spash_Scandal
[Most relevant to this blog. Also . . ]
2/ The treatment meted out to an eminent entomologist by the CSIRO
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/technology/sci-tech/csiro-accused-of-more-shabby-tactics-20130413-2hs51.html
3/ CSIRO duped global drug firm with generic chemicals as ‘secret formula’
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/csiro-duped-global-drug-firm-with-generic-chemicals-as-secret-formula-20130410-2hlt9.html
4/ Science second in toxic CSIRO work culture
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/science-second-in-toxic-csiro-work-culture-20130412-2hqv0.html
[ I had once planned to retire to Australia based on my travel experienes, now several decades ago. However, seeing as how the country has changed, I think I’ll stay put or retire to elsewhere. ]
Australia has its own unique climatic cycles, (which have course have been noted for the two centuries since Anglo-Saxon settlement) but these cycles are slow and the recent long, dry period was played perfectly by the Warmists who could point to heatwaves, forest fires, and drought on a daily basis to reinforce their Scare Story.
Of course that cycle ended a couple of years back, the rivers are full and the area in drought is very much reduced, but you won’t hear much about that…yesterday Western Australia had its coldest spell in 50 years and today Tasmania recorded an ‘all time’ record of Minus 12 C….
but the state sponsored ABC will keep that pretty quiet.
Please feel free to send messages to the Dean of Science
I have copied my email to him below for inspiration 😉
@Nick Stokes – Do you want 3 abstracts
BTW I have an original email from Salby if there are any forensic checks to be done.
———————————————
to dean.science@mq.edu.au
Dear Sir
I would like you to be aware that a large number of my friends and colleagues are outraged by the way Murry Salby claims that he has been treated by the University. If his claims are true you should take action to remedy the situation without fear or favour.
Universities have to stand up against political bullying.
Even if you do not believe Prof Salby’s conclusions, there is no excuse for this sort of treatment.
I am reminded of how Galileo was treated by the Church
Dr (Redacted) B.A. M.Sc. Ph.D.
Seems like pretty normal academic behavior to me.
The most callow thugs in the world are the thugs that think they’re saving the world.
this reminds me of this story from a few years ago-
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/clive-spash-resigns-from-csiro-after-climate-report-censorship/story-e6frfku0-1225806539742
@Nick
Look at this
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-Atmosphere-Climate-Murry-Salby/dp/0521767180/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373354355&sr=1-1&keywords=salby
Probably does not count in your rank of achievements.
Imagine yourself having received the described treatment…