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7 News: Cane farmers buried in expensive and unnecessary red tape.

Queensland is plagued with poor policies that are undermining our economic prosperity and productive capacity. Whether it be our cattle industry, reef tourism, sugar farming or our coal mines, policy is being determined on the whims of the current political party and Queenslanders are suffering.

Channel 7 have reported on our press conference where cane sugarcane farmer Geoffrey Bradshaw claims that reef regulations are crippling his industry. Dr Peter Ridd has been studying sediment run-off on the GBR for 30 years and is certain that if policy was based on robust scientific evidence, the reef regulations would be scrapped.

Our proposed Office of Scientific Integrity would ensure that all policy is based on the best available science.

Transcript

[Laura]

It’s the big claim from a scientist and a One Nation Senator, that if true, could shatter the base of reef relations.

[Dr Peter Ridd]

I think you’d find that most of the latest regulations would be found to be completely unwarranted. There is no pesticides out on the Great Barrier Reef.

[Senator Roberts]

I’ve had a gut full of why things operate in the Senate or don’t operate. We’ve had politicians that make policies based on emotions, fears, exaggerations, and sometimes outright lies.

[Laura]

One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts has proposed an office of scientific integrity be formed.

[Senator Roberts]

So that we can restore honesty in science again.

[Dr Peter Ridd]

Well we’ve got to make sure that the science is absolutely robust and well tested.

[Laura]

Dr. Peter Ridd says the office would look at the science behind all policies, not just reef regulations. Senator Roberts says he’s confident that if implemented it would debunk some of the science that forms policies across multiple industries.

[Senator Roberts]

It’s affecting cattle, it’s affecting the reef tourism, it’s affecting cane, and it’s affecting coal.

[Laura]

Cane farmers say the regulations have crippled their industry.

[Mr Jeffrey Bradshaw]

We’re awash, we’re awash with regulations.

[Senator Roberts]

The Palaszczuk Government in particular has criminalised farmers.

Laura Lavelle, 7 News.

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People suffer when political whims dictate policy

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When policy development is at the mercy of the political whims of which ever party is in government, it cripples industry and Australia’s future economic prosperity.

Instead of reputable evidence, policy makers defer to political beliefs and vested interests, resulting in a policy failure that wastes an eye-watering amount of taxpayers’ money.

Senator Roberts said, “We must have an Office of Scientific Integrity (OSI) to scrutinise science, protect scientists from politicisation, and give all industry players the confidence that the policy is warranted and just.”

Politicians often ignore the vast uncertainties in many areas of science used for policy development, and true scientific oversight will enhance public debate and transparency.

“Australia’s climate policies are a stunning example of policy determining the scientific “evidence”, rather than science informing policy,” added Senator Roberts.

The diminishing trust in government’s use of data for policy development is being felt across a range of industries.

In the area of science governing Queensland’s reef regulations and farming, Dr Peter Ridd says, “It’s not until we can get our scientific institutions to be trustworthy that we will finally be able to trust science again.

Evidence-based policy making is not a new concept, though it needs more prominence in Australian political debate.  The design of good policy depends on a solid foundation of reputable science.

“I am committed to more transparency in justifying policy, and welcome contributions to the development of an oversight body, such as the Office of Scientific Integrity,” concluded Senator Roberts.

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Opposing Antarctic research funding for Climate Science

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This afternoon I opposed a motion from the Greens asking for more money for climate research for the Antarctic.

Transcript

[President]

Senator Roberts.

[Roberts]

Seek leave Mr president, to make a short statement.

[President]

Leave is granted for one minute.

[Roberts]

Thank you Mr.President. One Nation will not be supporting this motion. The antarctic is a largely untouched and entirely spectacular natural wonder which needs and deserves proper scientific investigation and research.

Every dollar wasted on research in claimed human caused climate change in the antarctic, steals research grants from genuine geologists, paleoclimatologists, biologists, glaciologists and other scientists doing real scientific investigations. This chamber is the house of review.

When will the Senate demand a review of the science into claims of human induced climate change that has tax payers funding billions of dollars a year with no environmental or economic benefits?

Today, Mr. President, is day 278, since I first challenged The Greens and Senators Di Natale and Waters to provide the empirical data and framework proving carbon dioxide from human activity affects climate and needs to be cut and to debate me on climate science and on the corruption of climate science. Thank you Mr. President.

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