Centre for Independent Studies

=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_StudiesThe Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is an economically <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Liberal" title="Liberal" class="mw-redirect" style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">liberal</a> (or <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Neoliberal" title="Neoliberal" class="mw-redirect" style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">neoliberal</a>, depending on your point of view) and socially conservative <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Think_tank" title="Think tank" class="mw-redirect" style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">think tank</a> based in Sydney. It is headed by <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greg_Lindsay" title="Greg Lindsay" style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Greg Lindsay</a>.<div id="mw-content-text" lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 7px; font-size: 12px; display: table; zoom: 1; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);"><div id="toctitle" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><h2 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; font-size: 12px; display: inline; background: none;">Contents</h2>  [<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#" class="internal" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">hide</a>] </div><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: none; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#History" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1 History</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Funding" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2 Funding</a><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Former_Funders" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2.1 Former Funders</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Personnel" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3 Personnel</a><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Board_Members" style="color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3.1 Board Members</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Former_board_members" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3.2 Former board members</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Research_Staff" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3.3 Research Staff</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Contact_details" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4 Contact details</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#Other_Sourcewatch_Resources" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5 Other Sourcewatch Resources</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Centre_for_Independent_Studies#External_links" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">6 External links</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">History</h2>The CIS was Australia's first 'neo-liberal' think tank. It was founded in 1976 by a Sydney maths teacher, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greg_Lindsay" title="Greg Lindsay" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Greg Lindsay</a>. After struggling for financial support, Lindsay began meeting with Australian businessmen who wanted to establish an Australian version of the UK think tank the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Institute_of_Economic_Affairs" title="Institute of Economic Affairs" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Institute of Economic Affairs</a> (IEA). These businessmen included <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hugh_Morgan" title="Hugh Morgan" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Hugh Morgan</a>, then an executive director of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Western_Mining_Corporation" title="Western Mining Corporation" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Western Mining Corporation</a> (WMC), <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Bonython&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Bonython (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">John Bonython</a>, Chairman of the Adelaide<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/The_Advertiser" title="The Advertiser" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Advertiser</a> Group, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Macleod&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Macleod (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">John Macleod</a>, chief economist at mining company <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=CRA&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="CRA (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">CRA</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Douglas_Hocking" title="Douglas Hocking" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Douglas Hocking</a>, Chief economist at Shell Australia, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Brunner&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Brunner (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">John Brunner</a>, an economist at mining company BHP.According to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_Coleman&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Peter Coleman (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Peter Coleman</a> - former editor of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Quadrant" title="Quadrant" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Quadrant</a> Magazine, "A turning point came in 1979 when Hugh Morgan, of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/WMC" title="WMC" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Western Mining</a>, invited Lindsay to Melbourne for talks. Together they worked the phones. Morgan persuaded nine (actually six) companies to chip in $5000 a year for five years." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20876,19015772-7583,00.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[1]</a> According to Paul Kelly in "The End of Certainty", those six companies were WMC, CRA, BHP, Shell, Santos and the Adelaide Advertiser.The CIS has grown from then. As of May 2006, the CIS had a budget of more than $3 million, and employed 24 staff. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19115048-28737,00.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">[2]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Funding</h2>In May 2005 CIS Director Greg Lindsay said that the Centre had an annual income of around $2 million, of which one-third came from corporations, one-third from foundations and one-third from individuals."We've never committed ourselves to do anything for any of our supporters," he said. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.abc.net.au/rn/counterpoint/stories/2006/1622495.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[3]</a>On the CIS's website it states that "we do not accept government funding, nor do we derive any income from political parties or groupings." <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.cis.org.au/CISinfo/FAQs.html#government" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[4]</a> It also claims that it is politically non-partisan, and that it is not influenced by it's funders: "'Independent' in our name means: We are politically non-partisan; Research is not directed by our supporters," it states. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.cis.org.au/CISinfo/FAQs.html#top" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[5]</a> The CIS is also one of only seven organisations mentioned by name in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 as tax-deductible gift recipients, entitling donors to claim gifts as tax-deductions. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?DocID=PAC%2F19970038%2F30-40" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[6]</a>Also, the CIS, while asserting that research is not "directed" by its supporters, clearly makes an effort not the advocate policies which would disadvantage its many corporate donors. For instance, while the Centre has been a strong advocate of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Liberal" title="Liberal" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">liberal</a> economics (ie: opposing government intervention in the economy), it has always avoided the issue of considerable government subsidies for Australian mining and oil companies, with whose money the CIS was founded and which continue to be major CIS funders (see below).The CIS also keeps almost all of its corporate funders secret. While it receives at least $800,000 from corporations, its policy is only to identify sponsors where they agree. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/11/1060588322537.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[7]</a> Companies which have been publicly disclosed and confirmed by the CIS as its funders include:<ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/BHP_Billiton" title="BHP Billiton" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">BHP Billiton</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Shell" title="Shell" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Shell</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ICI - now a subsidiary of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Orica" title="Orica" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Orica</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Vincent_Fairfax_Family_Foundation&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/11/1060588322537.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[8]</a></li></ul>Some of the individuals who fund the CIS include <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/11/1060588322537.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[9]</a>:<ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dame_Elisabeth_Murdoch&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Dame Elisabeth Murdoch (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Dame Elisabeth Murdoch</a> - Mother of media mogul <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rupert_Murdoch" title="Rupert Murdoch" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Rupert Murdoch</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Neville_Kennard" title="Neville Kennard" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Neville Kennard</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robert_Champion_de_Crespigny" title="Robert Champion de Crespigny" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Robert Champion de Crespigny</a></li></ul>In June 2006, the Australian Financial Review reported that a 30th anniversary dinner attended by 600 supporters with the keynote address by Prime Minister John Howard raised $2.5 million. The CIS is aiming to raise $10 million as a capital fund to underpin the centre's operations.<h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 17px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Former Funders</h3><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/McDonald%27s" title="McDonald's" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">McDonald's</a> Australia</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Philip_Morris" title="Philip Morris" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Philip Morris</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Pratt_Foundation" title="Pratt Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Pratt Foundation</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/WMC" title="WMC" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">WMC</a> (once known as Western Mining Corporation, WMC was taken over by <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/BHP_Billiton" title="BHP Billiton" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">BHP Billiton</a>).</li></ul><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Personnel</h2><h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 17px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Board Members</h3><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Greg_Lindsay" title="Greg Lindsay" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Greg Lindsay</a>, Executive Director</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Michael_Darling&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Michael Darling (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Michael Darling</a>, Chairman</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Marco_Belgiorno-Zegna" title="Marco Belgiorno-Zegna" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Marco Belgiorno-Zegna</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Gordon_Cairns" title="Gordon Cairns" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Gordon Cairns</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robert_Champion_de_Crespigny" title="Robert Champion de Crespigny" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Robert Champion de Crespigny</a> - Chairman and Chief Executive of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Normandy_Mining" title="Normandy Mining" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Normandy Mining</a> Ltd from 1985 to 2002. Current chairman of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Primelife&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Primelife (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Primelife</a> Lts and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Buka_Minerals&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Buka Minerals (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Buka Minerals</a>.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Michael_Chaney" title="Michael Chaney" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Michael Chaney</a> - Chairman of The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Australia_Bank" title="National Australia Bank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">National Australia Bank</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bob_Day" title="Bob Day" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Bob Day</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Chum_Darvall&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Chum Darvall (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Chum Darvall</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_Dodd&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Peter Dodd (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Peter Dodd</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Sir_Rod_Eddington" title="Sir Rod Eddington" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Sir Rod Eddington</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_Farrell&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Peter Farrell (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Peter Farrell</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ross_Grant&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ross Grant (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Ross Grant</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_M.Green&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John M. Green (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">John M. Green</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robert_McLean" title="Robert McLean" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Robert McLean</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ruth_Richardson&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ruth Richardson (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Ruth Richardson</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Geoff_Ricketts" title="Geoff Ricketts" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Geoff Ricketts</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Chris_Roberts" title="Chris Roberts" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Chris Roberts</a>, Deputy Chairman</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Steven_Skala" title="Steven Skala" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Steven Skala</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Don_Turkington&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Don Turkington (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Don Turkington</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Steven_Wilson" title="Steven Wilson" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Steven Wilson</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Peter_Yates" title="Peter Yates" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Peter Yates</a></li></ul><h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 17px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Former board members</h3><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Calvert-Jones" title="John Calvert-Jones" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">John Calvert-Jones</a>, honorary treasurer of the Liberal party <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/big-business-should-fork-out-for-liberals-pm/2005/06/25/1119321941354.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">[10]</a>, director of Liberal party fundraiser the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Cormack_Foundation" title="Cormack Foundation" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Cormack Foundation</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2004/s1036576.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">[11]</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Rupert_Murdoch" title="Rupert Murdoch" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Rupert Murdoch</a>'s brother in-law.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Phillips&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Phillips (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">John Phillips</a>, former Deputy Chairman of the Reserve Bank, Director of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Western_Mining_Corporation" title="Western Mining Corporation" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">WMC</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alan_McGregor&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Alan McGregor (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Alan McGregor</a> (former Chairman), former Chairman of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_Hardie_Industries" title="James Hardie Industries" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">James Hardie Industries</a> 1995-2004.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Murray_Horn&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Murray Horn (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Murray Horn</a></li></ul>According to Cahill (2004: 212) the CIS Executive board between 1984 and 1991 included:<ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Neville_Kennard" title="Neville Kennard" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Neville Kennard</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Hugh_Morgan" title="Hugh Morgan" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Hugh Morgan</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Maurice_Newman" title="Maurice Newman" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Maurice Newman</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_Ritchie&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Peter Ritchie (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Peter Ritchie</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Will_Bailey&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Will Bailey (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Will Bailey</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Michael_Darling&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Michael Darling (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Michael Darling</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Andew_Kaldor&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Andew Kaldor (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Andew Kaldor</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peter_Dodd&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Peter Dodd (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Peter Dodd</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Leonard_Ian_Roach&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Leonard Ian Roach (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Leonard Ian Roach</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alan_McGregor&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Alan McGregor (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Alan McGregor</a></li></ul><h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-size: 17px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Research Staff</h3><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jennifer_Buckingham&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Jennifer Buckingham (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Jennifer Buckingham</a> - Research Fellow - Education</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Caspar_Conde&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Caspar Conde (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Caspar Conde</a> - Adjunct Scholar</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Miranda_Darling&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Miranda Darling (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Miranda Darling</a> - Research Fellow</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Owen_Harries" title="Owen Harries" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Owen Harries</a> - Senior Fellow</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Helen_Hughes&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Helen Hughes (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Helen Hughes</a> - Senior Fellow</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barry_Maley&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Barry Maley (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Barry Maley</a> - Senior Fellow</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Andrew_Norton&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Andrew Norton (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Andrew Norton</a> - Research Fellow</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=April_Palmerlee&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="April Palmerlee (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">April Palmerlee</a> - Visiting Fellow</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Phil_Rennie&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Phil Rennie (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Phil Rennie</a> - Policy Analyst, NZ Policy Unit</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Peter_Saunders(CIS)" title="Peter Saunders (CIS)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Peter Saunders</a> - Social Research Director</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Arti_Sharma&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Arti Sharma (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Arti Sharma</a> - Policy Analyst</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Gaurav_Sodhi&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Gaurav Sodhi (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Gaurav Sodhi</a> - Policy Analyst</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Kirsten_Storry&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Kirsten Storry (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Kirsten Storry</a> - Policy Analyst</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Susan_Windybank&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Susan Windybank (page does not exist)" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Susan Windybank</a> - Director of Foreign Policy Programmes</li></ul><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Contact details</h2>The Centre for Independent Studies
PO Box 92, St Leonards,
NSW 1590
tel: +61 2 9438 4377
fax: +61 2 9439 7310
Web: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.cis.org.au/" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">http://www.cis.org.au/</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Other Sourcewatch Resources</h2><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Think_tanks" title="Think tanks" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Think tanks</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Think_Tanks/Australia" title="Think Tanks/Australia" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Think Tanks/Australia</a></li></ul><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-color: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">External links</h2><ul style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cis.org.au/CISinfo/CIS_anniversary_brochure.pdf" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">CIS 25th Anniversary Brochure</a>, 2001 (pdf).</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Senator George Campbell's speech on the CIS in parliament, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/dailys/ds050303.pdf" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAQAAAAnOwc2AAAATklEQVR4XmXKQQqAMAwF0X/7XsSz9CSKiyIIFRFcjMmihmiGbB5fqDCaQJ4j46pzYLUWe+cXZ6OVBhTS0srY2Njp/+XxXXZOLu6EUWAOPX1vnwTBe6qQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Hansard</a>, March 05, 2003</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Damien C. Cahill, "The radical neo-liberal movement as a hegemonic force in Australia, 1976-1996", University of Wollongong, PhD Thesis, 2004. (Available online from all Australian Universities)</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Damien Cahill, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.asslh.org.au/sydney/hummer/vol4no3/neolib.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">From the fringes: the emergence from obscurity of the radical neo-liberal movement in Australia</a>, Edited version of a paper presented to the Sydney Branch of the Labour History Society, 25th July, 2004.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Diana Bagnall, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/bulletin/site/articleIDs/E8FAD1E304BCF1BACA256EFA000CF88B" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">How this man controls your future</a>", The Bulletin, September 22, 2004.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Cherelle Murphy, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=afr&kw=Think+Tank&pb=afr&dt=selectRange&dr=today&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=0&clsPage=1&docID=AFR0504079K3LI31BSNS" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Think tank pushes 10pc tax rate</a>", Australian Financial Review, April 7, 2005.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Michael Duffy, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/counterpoint/stories/s1407034.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Modern Liberal Thinking</a>", Counterpoint, ABC Radio National, July 11, 2005.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Ben Potter, "Think Tank a Real Agent of Change", Australian Financial Review, April 29-30, 2006.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.abc.net.au/rn/counterpoint/stories/2006/1622495.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Thinking about think tanks</a>, Counterpoint, ABC Radio National, May 1 2006.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Greg Lindsay, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cis.org.au/Events/30thAnniversary/SpeechGregLindsay.htm" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Remarks at the 30th Anniversary Dinner of The Centre for Independent Studies</a>", May 4, 2006.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Peter Coleman, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20876,19015772-7583,00.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Happy anniversary</a>, The Australian, May 4, 2006.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Dennis Glover, "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19115048-28737,00.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Ideas with Currency</a>", The Australian, May 13, 2006.</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Susannah Moran, "CIS Opens Door to Hayek, Smith and Friedman", Australian Financial Review, June 26, 2006, page 8. (Not avaialbale online).</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Ben Potter, "Big ideas for big business", Australian Financial Review, August 15, 2006, page 60.</li></ul></div><div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 5px; margin-top: 1em; clear: both; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Categories</a>: <ul style="line-height: 1.5em; list-style: none none; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><li style="margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-style: none; padding: 0px 0.5em 0px 0.25em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Think_tanks" title="Category:Think tanks" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Think tanks</a></li><li style="margin: 0.125em 0px; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.25em; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0px 0.5em; zoom: 1;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:Australia" title="Category:Australia" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Australia</a></li></ul></div></div>=loe.org
Australian coal companies sending spies to infiltrate environmentalist groupsTom Allard of the Sydney Morning Herald says that big players in the Australian coal industry are hiring ex-intelligence officers to infiltrate the groups that are concerned about climate change and concerned about big new Australian coal mining proposals. He reports that there are several shadowy security firms who hire ex-spooks, give them fake identities and send them in to mostly volunteer organizations to gather information on protests and political activities. [black op data mining puns]...A Fairfax Media investigation this week uncovered the fact Groves was part of an extraordinary undercover operation against the activists who are known as the Leard Forest Alliance or Front Line Action Against Coal.For five months, former military and intelligence personnel took on assumed identities with elaborate backstories and rotated through the camp, taking notes, reporting back on any planned actions, profiling the leadership and trying to uncover whether the protesters themselves had spies inside the mines.It failed. Several agents were identified, and at least one directly confronted.
Groves was a senior figure. His company - the Centre of Intelligence and Risk Management (CIRM) - wrangled the spies for the clandestine operation. He reported to Tyrone Clark, a former Australian Federal Police officer, whose company C5 Management Solutions received the intelligence, distilling it and passed it on to the mining companies via their security arms.Following Fairfax's first report on the espionage on Monday, Idemitsu admitted it had contracted C5 Management Solutions and another firm understood to be involved, the mysterious Strongs Security Services. After years of suspicions among activists, it is the first time that such an operation has been verified.
These kinds of ''black ops'' may seem like something from a modern spy novel or a Hollywood blockbuster but have been long documented overseas and speculated about here.And the exposure of the clandestine project raises important and uncomfortable questions about corporate power, privacy and the right to protest.Such outright deception is widespread among a plethora of private security firms, intelligence firms and detective agencies.It is almost certain there have been attempts to infiltrate protest groups and NGOs, but the practice of deception and false identities extends to other private investigation work, including spying on workplaces, people in legal disputes and even divorce.Using a false identity to obtain information on a ''target'' is known as ''pretexting'', says Wayne Edwards, a 31-year surveillance veteran who runs Harjan Investigations.''It's something that's commonly used within the industry,'' he said.Mr Edwards describes an industry where regulation is weak and often flouted, and where ''manipulation, intimidation and bullying are rife''. It is a sector where big companies dominate and subcontract work to smaller firms.''You're only as good as your last job and subcontractors are put under pressure by some companies to step outside the boundaries of the code of practice - including things like pretexting - to get results.''New entrants to the industry are coming from the ranks of former soldiers, police and spies who took up lucrative private contracting work in Iraq and Afghanistan. People like Tony Groves, who worked for the international security giant Garda Global. With the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq winding down, work is more scarce and techniques used in the conflict zones are being deployed in Australia.Companies like C5, CIRM and Strongs Security Services operate in the shadows. All refused to respond to calls from Fairfax Media and only C5 publicly lists its contact information.Their corporate paymasters adopt a ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy that borders on laughable.Asked about the security operation, Idemitsu's chief operating officer, Rod Bridges, said: ''How they found out all this information [about the protesters' activities] … Well we didn't ask questions.'' Mr Bridges said he had little knowledge about Strongs Security despite the lucrative contract it was awarded about six months ago, although he believed it was headed by an ''ex-French foreign legionnaire''.Whitehaven Coal - already facing a public relations disaster as its former owner Nathan Tinkler is accused of illegal political donations during Independent Commission against Corruption hearings - insists it had no knowledge or involvement in the exercise.But multiple sources indicate that its security staff, at least, were aware of the infiltration project and benefited from the information it uncovered.''The protest at Maules Creek has been non-violent and open,'' wrote Phil Laird, a local farmer whose family has been in the district for 160 years. ''If the coal industry wants to know our plans, then perhaps they could engage with the protectors rather than send in undercover security agents to ingratiate themselves around the campfires.''The activists' aim is to draw attention to the impact of Australia's $60 billion-a-year coal industry on climate change, build popular support to halt its expansion and eventually end it.''It is an industry with rapidly diminishing social license and, in fact, only last week AMP Capital banned coal from its responsible range of investments, joining the likes of armaments, gambling and pornography,'' Solity says.The companies retort that coal underpins economic prosperity and drastic security measures are required. It's a workplace safety issue, they say, as the protesters trespass on the mining site, threaten to sabotage equipment and thwart building works.But there's something bigger at stake. It's no coincidence that the spying campaign at Maules Creek began as both Idemitsu and Whitehaven began construction of their new mines.The exposure of the black ops at Maules Creek and Boggabri inevitably raises questions about any role of government intelligence and law enforcement agencies.ASIO, the AFP and NSW police all denied they had engaged private firms to infiltrate activist networks, although they do use them to monitor ''open source'' material such as internet sites and social media.As for deploying their own undercover officers to observe protesters, the situation becomes murkier.ASIO director general David Irvine said the domestic spy organisation ''does not limit, or seek to limit, the right of persons to engage in lawful advocacy, protest or dissent''.But in campaigns of civil disobedience, laws are often broken. Hundreds of protesters at Maules Creek have been arrested for offences such as trespass.Does that mean protests like this qualify as ''unlawful'' and therefore a legitimate target of scrutiny for ASIO or the AFP?It seems it very well might, especially if it involves ''energy security'', according to a letter written by then attorney-general Robert McClelland to his colleague, resources minister Martin Ferguson, in 2009.''While I recognise the right to protest, when actions jeopardise energy security and the delivery of essential services, it is important that measures are taken to prevent and deter unlawful activity,'' McClelland says.ASIO, he tells Ferguson, does monitor protest activity and provides intelligence reporting when there is ''actual, or potential, for violence''.The AFP, he writes, ''continually monitors the activities of issues-motivated groups and individuals who may target establishments through direct action.''Whether commercially funded or government endorsed, few doubt that the level of surveillance of activists, NGOs and whistleblowers has been as high, or more intrusive.

Read more: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/coal-spies-the-secret-world-of-black-ops-20140606-39ofv.html#ixzz34f0VhEx4" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none;">http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/coal-spies-the-secret-world-of-black-ops-20140606-39ofv.html#ixzz34f0VhEx4</a>==The army of <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2826189.htm">denialist bloggers and cyber-bullies</a> is sometimes accused of being the tool of fossil fuel companies. Although there is certainly a concordance of interests, that is as far as the relationship goes. The bloggers are motivated not by financial gain (indeed, their activities may have a financial cost) but by political grievances and an anti-elite worldview at odds with the mainstream.

Nevertheless, it is true that the raw material that feeds their anger is generated overwhelmingly by a network of right-wing think tanks and websites in part funded by Big Carbon. These links, which have been <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/exxon_report.pdf">heavily documented</a>, are close enough to provoke the Royal Society to take the unprecedented step of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2006/sep/20/oilandpetrol.business">writing to Exxon Mobil</a> asking the company to desist from funding anti-science groups.

Yet the funding continues, often through foundations that in effect launder oil and coal money to make it <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/thinktanks-take-oil-money-and-use-it-to-fund-climate-deniers-1891747.html">more difficult to trace to its sources</a>. One of the more important conduits is the Washington-based Atlas Economic Research Foundation. Atlas supports financially a network of some 200 libertarian think tanks around the world, including (according to an investigation by US magazine <a href="http://motherjones.com/environment/2009/12/climate-deniers-atlas-foundation">Mother Jones</a>) the Institute of Public Affairs and the Centre for Independent Studies in Australia.

Atlas co-sponsored the Heartland Institute's climate sceptic conference in Washington last June attended by <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Third_International_Conference_on_Climate_Change">a number of prominent Australian skeptics</a>. The Heartland Institute has received funding from Exxon Mobil and earlier <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Heartland_Institute">received funding from Philip Morris</a> to campaign against smoking restrictions. It has superseded Frontiers of Freedom and the Competitive Enterprise Institute as the foremost US "think tank" working to discredit climate science and stop action on climate change.

Black ops

The deployment of think tanks and sceptic websites to attack climate science has been a carefully planned strategy that was developed in the United States in the mid-1990s. It was refined with the advice of political consultant Frank Luntz who in 2002 urged the Republican Party to undermine the credibility of climate science by commissioning "independent" experts to "make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate". The strategy is comprehensively exposed by former PR insider Jim Hoggan in his <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/slamming-the-climate-skeptic-scam">recent book Climate Cover-Up</a>.

The strategy's use of operations that fall into the "grey area" of political campaigning - such as the <a href="http://www.uow.edu.au/%7Esharonb/PR.html">creation of fake citizens groups</a> to advance the interests of fossil fuel companies - is well-known and <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2009-08-03-forged-climate-bill-letters-spark-uproar-over-astroturfing">continuing</a>. Only now is light being shone on a far more sinister campaign of black operations.

The hacking into computers at the Climatic Research Centre at the University of East Anglia is only part of a more extensive campaign of black ops organised by elements of the denial industry in the run-up to the Copenhagen meeting. Others include <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=2300282">break-ins to the offices of climate scientists</a>, an attempt to infiltrate the computer system at the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis at the University of Victoria by <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/breaking-impersonators-attempt-access-canadian-government-centre-fo-climate-modeling-and-analysis">two people posing as technicians</a>, and <a href="http://motherjones.com/environment/2008/04/exclusive-cops-and-former-secret-service-agents-ran-black-ops-green-groups">industrial espionage directed at US green groups</a>.

The think tanks

Although Australia does not have the proliferation of well-funded conservative think tanks that have been so influential in US politics, local counterparts have served effectively as conduits for the stream of anti-science pouring out of their kindred organisations in the United States. They have also been instrumental in publicising and promoting the work of Australian sceptics such as Ian Plimer and Bob Carter. There are three established think tanks and a new one emerging.

Lavoisier Group: Perhaps better described as an advocacy group than a think tank, the <a href="http://www.lavoisier.com.au/index.php">Lavoisier Group</a> was founded in 1999 by Hugh Morgan, then CEO of Western Mining Corporation and a former president of the Mining Industry Council, and his long-time political operative <a href="http://www.clivehamilton.net.au/cms/index.php?page=scorcher">Ray Evans.</a> Its board consists mostly of mining industry figures. Evans has close links with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, for some years the most active denialist think tank in the United States.

Evans, with Morgan's backing, had created a string of organisations promoting conservative causes, including the anti-union H.R Nicholls Society (with which the Lavoisier Group shares a postal address) and the Samuel Griffiths Society, committed to defending states' rights.

The Lavoisier Group brings together leading sceptics at its conferences, promotes sceptics' books, and publishes material such as <a href="http://www.lavoisier.com.au/articles/greenhouse-science/climate-change/lav2006-forWeb.pdf">"Nine Lies About Global Warming"</a>, penned by Evans and <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/miranda-devine/a-debate-begging-for-more-light/2006/03/01/1141191731122.html?page=2">parroted by sceptical columnists in the newspapers</a>. A book edited by Evans was last year launched by Senator Barnaby Joyce, now the shadow finance minister.

Institute of Public Affairs: The oldest think tank in Australia, and with close links to the Liberal Party, the IPA took up the denialist cause early. The IPA is coy about its funding sources, but is known to have received the bulk of its income from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Institute_of_Public_Affairs">mining, resource and tobacco companies</a>. In addition to promoting the work of Australian sceptics like <a href="http://www.ipa.org.au/sectors/climate-change/publication/1709/the-natural-history-of-climate-change">Ian Plimer</a>, the IPA has hosted international visitors such as Bjorn Lomborg and Mark Steyn, events attended by Liberal Party heavyweights.

The IPA also sponsored the visit to Australia of President Putin's former adviser Andrei Illarianov who fulminated against "fraudulent science" and described the Kyoto Protocol as a "death pact", "an interstate Auschwitz", <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/kyoto-treaty-is-an-auschwitz-for-russia-says-putins-adviser-560033.html">"a sort of international Gosplan, a system to rival the former Soviet Union's"</a>, an argument bizarre even in the world of climate denial, but reasonable enough to be reproduced by <a href="http://www.ipa.org.au/news/848/protocol-is-just-lots-of-hot-air">The Australian</a>.

Centre for Independent Studies: The CIS projects itself as a more moderate conservative think tank, but has not been able to resist promoting climate scepticism. After struggling in its early years, it was reprieved by a major funding boost from six mining companies, a rescue <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Centre_for_Independent_Studies">facilitated by Hugh Morgan</a>. Among its board members is <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/sir-rod-gets-rudd-and-labor-off-to-a-flying-start/2007/02/11/1171128813027.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2">Sir Rod Eddington, a senior business adviser to the Labor Government</a>. It has hosted a string of climate sceptics from overseas and Australia.

Brisbane Institute: The Brisbane Institute has for some years been a middle-of-the-road think tank but appears to have been taken over by climate sceptics. Some of its followers were shocked to hear that the Institute would host the Brisbane leg of Christopher Monckton's Australian tour.

Last year the Brisbane Institute hosted a public lecture by Dr Jay Lehr, Science Director of the Heartland Institute. As we saw, the Heartland Institute is now the most active climate denialist organisation in the United States. Lehr was presented by the Brisbane Institute as an "internationally renowned" scientist, which is simply untrue; he has been heavily criticised for distorting and misrepresenting climate science. He is better known for spending <a href="http://www.mgwa.org/newsletter/backissues/v10n3.pdf">three months in jail</a> for defrauding the US Environmental Protection Authority in 1991.

The Brisbane Institute is perfectly entitled to take the denialist road. The puzzle is why the University of Queensland, the Institute's primary sponsor, would support an organisation that promotes anti-science. Paying for Monckton and Fehr to trash climate science in Brisbane does not seem compatible with the University's aim <a href="http://www.uq.edu.au/about/strategic-plan-2009-2013">"to achieve internationally-acknowledged excellence in all forms of research"</a>.

Several scientists from the University serve as authors or reviewers for the IPCC, a body attacked as fraudulent by Monckton and Lehr. The University of Queensland appears unconcerned about linking itself with climate denial. In 2008 it accepted a donation of $350,000 from a climate change sceptic, channeled through the IPA, who wanted it to be spent on <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/dispute-over-climate-sceptic-uni-grant/story-e6frg6oo-1111116267330">funding doctoral research on climate change</a>. Of course, the University said there would be no strings attached.

These think tanks are at the heart of the denial movement in this country. They provide funding and organisational capacity, they convene conferences and private meetings, they commission sceptical scientists to write papers, they publish and promote sceptical papers and books, they supply "experts" to the media and they lobby at every opportunity.

Every sceptical scientist, no matter how independent he starts out, is sooner or later drawn into the web formed by these think tanks. In Australia, Bob Carter is a favourite of the Heartland Institute and the Lavoisier Group, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ian_Plimer">Ian Plimer</a> is an associate of the Institute for Public Affairs and an adviser to Nigel Lawson's Global Warming Policy Foundation, and William Kinninmonth (the Australian sceptic with perhaps the strongest claims to being a climate scientist) allowed his book to be launched by the Lavoisier Group.

The links of these sceptics to political organisations with strong ideological agendas stands in sharp contrast to the vast assemblage of legitimate climate scientists who have no political connections. Yet it is the latter who are accused of being politicised.

Backlash against the 60s

Despite their financial support from Big Carbon, it would be wrong to believe that the conservative think tanks operate solely at the behest of the fossil fuel industries. Their objectives are principally ideological and they would still be campaigning against climate science without funding from Exxon Mobil and others; they would just be less effective. In the United States and Australia, it is probably true that they have received more funding from right-wing foundations with no links to Big Carbon than from oil and coal companies (although some, like the Scaife Foundations, owe their wealth to oil).

So, in the end, their motives are political rather than commercial. The arms of the denialist war on climate science - the bloggers and letter writers; the right wing columnists like Andrew Bolt, Christopher Pearson and Miranda Devine; the Murdoch broadsheets; and the conservative think tanks - are united by one factor, a hatred of environmentalism. Environmentalism is variously seen to be the enemy of individual freedom, an ideology of smug elites, an attack on capitalism and consumerism, and the vanguard of world government.

This antagonism towards the real or assumed ideas of environmentalism is spiced with a loathing for "green culture" represented by the image of the long-haired tree-huggers who want to impose their ascetic lifestyle on others.

Politically, climate denialism represents a backlash against the advances begun by the social movements of the 1960s and their destabilisation of traditional social structures and beliefs, including those of the right of humans to exploit the natural world, which helps explain why its activists are overwhelmingly older. Raging against climate science fits perfectly with the worldview, style and audience demographic of <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/11/2816202.htm">populist shock-jocks like Alan Jones</a>, Australia's answer to Rush Limbaugh.

To turn back the tide of denialism, perhaps the most significant step would be for those conservative leaders who accept the science to speak out loudly and clearly about the need to take action. It is in their hands to break down the belief that global warming is somehow a left-wing cause.

Tomorrow: How to manufacture a scientific scandal.

><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2826189.htm">Part 1: Bullying, lies and the rise of right-wing climate denial</a>

><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2827047.htm">Part 2: Who is orchestrating the cyber-bullying?</a>

Centre for Independent Studies

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