UPDATE: I made this a “top post” that will remain at the top of WUWT until we reach the goal. New content will appear below. UPDATE2: as of 12:30 PM PST on 2/2/18 we are within 5% of reaching the goal. If you haven’t already, now is the time to help.
UPDATE 3: BOOM! Thanks to everyone!!!! A last minute donation of $5,000 by Rodney Hackett put it over the top! There were other people who also gave $1000 or more. Peter tells me he’ll be in touch with everyone to send thanks. He says this now:
I am astonished, very relieved and most importantly incredibly grateful for the support. I would also particularly like to thank Anthony, Jennifer Marohasy, Jo Nova, Willie Soon, Benny Peiser and many others for getting the issue up on blogs and spreading the word.
—-
Last week we covered this ugly saga of how a colleague of the late Dr. Bob Carter has been singled out for criticism and ruin by his university: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/01/29/the-power-of-grant-money-on-display-at-james-cook-university/
Now we have this announcement from Dr. Jennifer Marohasy, reposted below.
I ask three things of our readers.
- Retweet and repost this story wherever you can, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc.
- To show support, buy a copy of the book in which he says the Great Barrier Reef alarmism is just that.
- If possible, donate to his campaign to fight back against the university- link below.
Peter Ridd Asks for your Help – Now
PROFESSOR Peter Ridd is a physicist at James Cook University who has dared to question scientific findings that purport to show the Great Barrier Reef is in trouble. Specifically, he has been formally censured by the University and told to remain quiet about the matter – or risk his job.
The issue dates back to August 2017, and comments he made on television promoting the book I edited last year – Climate Change: The Facts 2017.
Peter wrote the first chapter in this book, and in it he suggests that there are major problems with quality assurance when it comes to claims of the imminent demise of the reef. He has also published in the scientific literature detailing his concerns about the methodology used to measure calcification rates, including a technical paper in Marine Geology (volume 65).
After some reflection over the last couple of months, and some thousands of dollars on legal fees – so far paid by the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) that first published the book that got him into trouble – Professor Ridd has decided to fight the final censure.
In short, he has decided he would rather be fired than be quiet.
But he is now going to have to find about A$95,000!
So, this university Professor has set-up a crowdfunding account. It is now your turn to show support and help fight the case.
https://www.gofundme.com/peter-ridd-legal-action-fund
There is also this story in The Australian:
Marine scientist Peter Ridd has refused to accept a formal censure and gag order from James Cook University and expanded his Federal Court action to defend academic freedoms and free speech.
A revised statement of claim alleges JCU trawled through private email conversations in a bid to bolster its misconduct case against him.
JCU had found Professor Ridd guilty of “serious misconduct”, including denigrating a co-worker, denigrating the university, breaching confidentiality, publishing information outside of the university and disregarding his obligations as an employee.
Professor Ridd has asked the Federal Court to overturn the university ruling and confirm his right not to be silenced.
In the revised statement of claim, Professor Ridd has dropped an earlier claim of conflict of interest against JCU vice-chancellor Sandra Harding, but has alleged other senior staff had been biased and had not acted fairly or in good faith.
Professor Ridd’s Federal Court action is seen as a test of academic freedom and free speech, and has been supported by the Institute of Public Affairs.
Professor Ridd said he would seek public donations to continue the fight against JCU. He first took court action in November in a bid to stop a JCU disciplinary process against him for comments he made to Sky News presenter Alan Jones.
The university said by expressing concerns about the quality of some reef science, Professor Ridd had not acted in a “collegiate” manner.
Professor Ridd told Sky News: “The basic problem is that we can no longer trust the scientific organisations like the Australian Institute of Marine Science, even things like the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.”
He said a lot of the science was not properly checked, tested or replicated and “this is a great shame because we really need to be able to trust our scientific institutions and the fact is I do not think we can any more”.
A JCU spokesman said the university’s lawyers had invited Professor Ridd to discontinue his proceedings. “(He) has amended his proceedings. His decision to do so is a matter for him,” he said.
“The university intends to vigorously defend those proceedings (but) as these matters are before the courts, JCU will not comment further.”
Lawyers for JCU wrote to Professor Ridd on November 28 confirming the university had determined he had engaged in “serious misconduct” and issued him with a “final censure”.
“The disciplinary process and all information gathered and recorded in relation to the disciplinary process (including the allegations, letters, your client’s responses and the outcome of the disciplinary process) is confidential pursuant to clause 54.1.5 of the university enterprise agreement,” the JCU lawyers said.
Professor Ridd has subsequently published his concerns about the quality of reef science in a peer-reviewed journal. He said he was determined to speak freely about his treatment “even though it will go against explicit directions by JCU not to”.
“This is as much a case about free speech as it is about quality of science,” he said.
Again, I ask three things of our readers.
- Retweet and repost this story wherever you can, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc.
- To show support, buy a copy of the book in which he says the Great Barrier Reef alarmism is just that.
- If possible, donate to his campaign to fight back against the university- link below.
https://www.gofundme.com/peter-ridd-legal-action-fund
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I forgot to add, “no insult to Captain Cook intended.” Rather, the implication was that a university named in honor of a famous Cook seems to be operating as though named in honor of a famous kook.
Treating a level-headed critique as misconduct surely seems more indicative of a kook. I would hate to see the university’s reaction to a critique of it’s board’s favorite art work. They would probably go for the death penalty.
Time to add another update: as of Feb 2 17:20 EST the total is $99,312 (AUD) — $4,312 over the goal. If Australian lawyers bill at a comparable rate to those in the US, this should be good for one or two hearings.
We are so grateful for the support of everyone at this thread. (I’m so grateful that I’m now crying.) THANK YOU!
While thinking about this issue during a long drive today I put on my CD “Something inside so strong” (by Labi Sifffre). Similar effect.
We have passed another milestone in the fight.
I saw this yesterday and immediately donated.
Then I bought the book. I have read the first 2 superb articles by Peter Ridd and Jennifer Marohasy and John Abbot. I also read the final incredible article by Clive James. I can’t wait to read the rest.
The article by Clive James is a masterpiece.
Thanks Jennifer for putting this volume together.
I encourage all to buy it and read it.
What a fantastic FAST response to this appeal with hundreds of donations & in time measured in hours! It says more about the community of which WUWT is just a part then we currently realize.
It also speaks of the power of GoFundMe but somehow I doubt they will use it as an example when looking for more business.
A technical note for GoFundMe – and why I did not contribute:
– The site told me “There is a problem” when I tried to use my debit card. The bank declined an unusual transaction, but GoFundMe did not tell me that. I learned it from an email from my bank. I called the bank and was put on an eternal hold. I hanged up after 10 minutes.
– My Discover card was flagged as an “incorrect card number”.
With only two cards in my hand, I decided to fold.
I would donate if I had some money but due to the fact my wife and kids are migrants and temporary residents, the Australian Govn’t feels it needs to take vast amount of tax from me and my wife as well as various expensive fees for various Govn’t services.
Thanks To everybody especially Anthony for all the support. I really am astonished and incredibly grateful. We will fight this all the way.
Peter Ridd
I just read your article in the book. I am a fan.
I am dealing with a 19 year old granddaughter that believes all the pseudo science out there about the reef. I hope to broaden her perspective by gifting her a copy.
Peter – I sort of wished you had kept it open but only accepted $5 donations. The speed at which the target was reached / surpassed was great but by keeping open you would have had another power stat and that would have been the number of people donating.
Out of interest, how will JCU pay their legal bills? From the government grant money they so eagerly covet or in other words taxpayers, or are their private donors for that sort of thing?
Best of luck – happy to help again if the need arises
Peter Ridd,
You obviously are not alone. Keep up the good fight.
Congratulations to Anthony. He is a mobilizing force who’s name was “not to be mentioned” at one point in time! That time has passed and he is also not alone!
Very nice job. Goal exceeded!
All the best moving forward fighting back!
Life is a highway, one way or the another folks. Make the best of it.
Well done everybody and especially for the last minute donation of $5,000 by Rodney Hackett, who put it over the top!
Just bought the ebook and tried to donate but now closed. I guess that is because the target has been reached. Ready and willing for a second round fund raise if required. I have been reading WUWT for years and am a confirmed skeptic – but am prepared to change my mind if someone out there can provide proof. I notice Mosh was the only one of the usual suspects to comment and credit to him for that. The others, Griff et al, are conspicuous by their absence. One can only assume they agree with the stance of JCU which just about sums them up. Well done Anthony and everyone else involved.
Their silence means they possibly agree with Peter Ridd and are just too embarrassed to say anything. If they agreed with the JCU they would not hold back. Very proud of our lukewarmer’s comment actually.
So sad that James Cook’s name has to be dragged through the mud with the idiocy and political correctness of this current university staff, but typical.
I hope he wins his case but though crystal clear legally not a surety
“The others, Griff et al, are conspicuous by their absence.”
In a comment at the end of a prior week’s TWTW thread Griff said he was dropping out because of the rudeness with which he had been treated.
I replied with this comment:
Yes, there is a bit of that from a few. But Griff has nothing to complain about or blame but herself.
I agree with you Roger. Very often it has been the reply to Griff, by explaining to him some aspect or other, that makes it clearer for everybody. And, I must say, I always found him to be polite – even in the face of some pretty nasty taunts. Having been around ‘climate blogs’ for over a decade I know how vitriolic many of the other believers can be,
Ha ha, Roger who can’t quit his hypocritical complaining about moderation and Griff who was never what you think he is.:
You have been strongly moderated too for misbehaving in the threads, Griff was a chronic drive my commenter, who rarely replied to anyone about what he wrote, he also insulted a scientist and repeated the insult several times, not acknowledging the scientists background and research history at all. Climate Otter gave a devastating rebuttal to Griff’ insult, which was never acknowledged.
He vanished from many places besides this one, without even a good bye note. Being polite he never was as many here knows well with HIS insults, drive by commenting behavior were exposed. He was even worse over at Tony Heller’s site where he lied a lot to the point that even mild people were calling him a liar loudly.
Sunsettommy February 4, 2018 at 8:36 am
Ha ha, Roger … You have been strongly moderated too for misbehaving in the threads, ….”
The last time I was moderated here was five years ago. Before that, going back to 2009, I was moderated one additional time. You’re thinking of someone else.