Checking the Science of the Great Barrier Reef
Donation protected
Right now, regional Queenslanders are under threat from a man-made disaster in the form of a Reef Water Quality improvement Bill that the Queensland State Government plans to push through the August sittings of Parliament. As farmers, we love our reef; it is part of our lifestyle and culture. We need to live and work in harmony with the reef, based on quality economic and scientific evidence. Instead the Bill, which builds on existing water quality laws, treats farmers like criminals with maximum penalties for breaches set to increase from $13,345 up to $222,194.
The Science keeps claiming, to the detriment of tourism and jobs, that the Reef is dying, coral cover is reducing and that farmers are killing the Reef with fertiliser, pesticide and sediment that runs off during natural flooding events.
In our hearts and minds we know this not to be true, as does Dr Peter Ridd. His speaking tour, which began in Bundaberg on Monday is examining these and other questionable scientific claims made in the Scientific Consensus Statement 2017 which underpins the Bill, explaining his view of the reality and providing compelling evidence to support his view.
All we ask is that, as a Queenslander, after having satisfied yourself by reading the information made available on this website or through personal experience, you form a view that the new laws are unnecessary and should be deferred for 2 years to enable the uncertain Science to be checked by an independent Office of Science Quality Assurance (OSQA) to be established within the Commonwealth Auditor-General's Office.
Dr Peter Ridd has developed a proposal for the establishment of an OSQA which he estimates will cost $4.08 million dollars.
We believe that the costs involved in undertaking the Science checking should be shared equally between the Commonwealth Government and members of the public, including all affected farmers and related businesses, who have an interest in discovering the truth. In addition to the $2 million half-share in the set-up costs there is expected to be up to $100,000 in costs associated with convincing the Government to establish the OSQA.
In a recent court case involving Dr Ridd, the importance of the search for the truth was highlighted:
“…the mission of these institutions must undoubtedly be the search for knowledge which leads to a quest for the truth. In reality, intellectual freedom is the cornerstone of this core mission of all institutions of higher learning.” Judge Salvatore Vasta, Federal Circuit Court of Australia, April 2019.
Dr Peter Ridd has personally endorsed this funding campaign and has asked that the following joint quote with Professor Piers Larcombe , Marine Scientist and Great Barrier Reef World Expert, be recorded:
"There appears a serious risk of efforts to improve the health of the GBR being directed inefficiently and/or away from the more serious threats. We suggest the need for a new organisation to undertake quality reviews and audits of important scientific results that underpin government spending decisions on the environment."
The Science keeps claiming, to the detriment of tourism and jobs, that the Reef is dying, coral cover is reducing and that farmers are killing the Reef with fertiliser, pesticide and sediment that runs off during natural flooding events.
In our hearts and minds we know this not to be true, as does Dr Peter Ridd. His speaking tour, which began in Bundaberg on Monday is examining these and other questionable scientific claims made in the Scientific Consensus Statement 2017 which underpins the Bill, explaining his view of the reality and providing compelling evidence to support his view.
All we ask is that, as a Queenslander, after having satisfied yourself by reading the information made available on this website or through personal experience, you form a view that the new laws are unnecessary and should be deferred for 2 years to enable the uncertain Science to be checked by an independent Office of Science Quality Assurance (OSQA) to be established within the Commonwealth Auditor-General's Office.
Dr Peter Ridd has developed a proposal for the establishment of an OSQA which he estimates will cost $4.08 million dollars.
We believe that the costs involved in undertaking the Science checking should be shared equally between the Commonwealth Government and members of the public, including all affected farmers and related businesses, who have an interest in discovering the truth. In addition to the $2 million half-share in the set-up costs there is expected to be up to $100,000 in costs associated with convincing the Government to establish the OSQA.
In a recent court case involving Dr Ridd, the importance of the search for the truth was highlighted:
“…the mission of these institutions must undoubtedly be the search for knowledge which leads to a quest for the truth. In reality, intellectual freedom is the cornerstone of this core mission of all institutions of higher learning.” Judge Salvatore Vasta, Federal Circuit Court of Australia, April 2019.
Dr Peter Ridd has personally endorsed this funding campaign and has asked that the following joint quote with Professor Piers Larcombe , Marine Scientist and Great Barrier Reef World Expert, be recorded:
"There appears a serious risk of efforts to improve the health of the GBR being directed inefficiently and/or away from the more serious threats. We suggest the need for a new organisation to undertake quality reviews and audits of important scientific results that underpin government spending decisions on the environment."
Organizer
Farmers United
Organizer
Alva, QLD