Andrew Bolt: Scientists want social media giants to silence critics

Too many scientists want silence, not discussion. Just look at the latest group telling social media giants to crack down on people who point out when they’re wrong.

The Australian Academy of Science has made a curious example of alleged disinformation.

Oh, look! Scientists telling social media giants to crack down on people like me who point out when they’re wrong on global warming.

These scientists don’t want me answered. They want me gagged.

This time it’s the Australian Academy of Science that’s down on debate, the oxygen of science, sending a submission to the Digital Industry Group, representing Facebook, Google, Twitter, TikTok and others.

It says “climate denialism is just one example of how misinformation results in societal harm”, and these media giants must “take stronger action against disinformation”.

It gives a curious example of this alleged disinformation: “material misrepresenting studies of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef”.

Australian Academy of Science Anna-Maria Arabia.

And it names just one organisation spreading such poison: “Sky News Australia and its media personalities are a key source of climate science misinformation globally.”

I take this personally, and not just because I’m a Sky News host. The Academy’s head is Anna-Maria Arabia, who as far back as 2011 refused to debate me on radio, talking instead to my then co-host while I had to sit silent.

For context, Arabia is a former adviser to (now) Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

But back to her example. What bad timing! It’s true that for 20 years I’ve criticised alarmist scientists claiming the reef was dying, dying, nearly gone.

It’s also a fact that days after Arabia lodged her submission wanting me muzzled, I was proved right: the latest reef survey found two-thirds of it had record coral cover.

I’d also ask Arabia whether the “disinformation” she should worry about is mine or that of scientist Tim Flannery, the global warming hysteric who was elected a Fellow of her Academy.

Judge for yourself. I criticised Flannery’s dud prediction in 2007 that “even the rains that fall will not actually fill our dams and our river systems”. Bolt 1, Flannery 0.

I criticised Flannery’s dud warning in 2008 that “five years from now … there is no more ice over the Arctic”. Bolt 2, Flannery 0.

I criticised Flannery’s dud claim in 2015 about cyclones in the Pacific – that we were “likely to see them more frequently”. Bolt 3, Flannery 0.

I also attacked dud claims of other scientists – that polar bears were disappearing, our drought 15 years ago would be “permanent” and green energy would make electricity cheaper.

No wonder some scientists want me and my colleagues put on mute. Not because we’re wrong, but too often right.