Boscawen John: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Boscawen John: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:661;Page:9450] 
4. 
JOHN BOSCAWEN (ACT) 
 to the  
Minister of Research Science and Technology 
: Is NIWA’s principal climate scientist Dr Brett Mullan correct when he says in relation to NIWA’s seven-station temperature series that NIWA “had the original data knew the method of calculations and we have the answers” and will he require NIWA to release the method of calculations and the actual calculations commonly known as a schedule of adjustments which would allow independent scientists to replicate NIWA’s results? 
Hon TIM GROSER (Minister of Trade) 
: 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Research Science and Technology 
: Yes we believe that Dr Mullan is correct. The original data is available on the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research website with the exception of data between the years 1907 and 1920 from the Nelson site. But such is our dedication in providing the level of data required by the member that we are digitising that and it will shortly be available. That is the first point. The second point is that the method of calculations is of course freely available from the application of any science to Dr Salinger’s thesis in 1981 which established the methodology used. Finally the answers are given by Dr Mullan in Excel-style of annual mean temperatures in each of the seven locations and in the schedule of adjustments on the institute’s website page entitled “ ‘Seven-station’ series temperature data” which I will shortly table. 
John Boscawen 
: How is it that Dr Brett Mullan is overseeing a review of the seven-station temperature series and taking 3 to 4 months to do it when he is on record in the  
Waikato Times 
 stating that the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research has the original data and the answers and knows the method of calculations when it should take a competent scientist just a day? 
Hon TIM GROSER 
: Well we are looking into the matter in even greater detail than before. A study will be completed on all seven locations over the next 4 to 6 months that will involve a large variety of data and a serious number of calculations. This will all be freely available and will allow independent scientists to replicate the experiment. 
John Boscawen 
: How can the people of New Zealand when faced with a $1 billion per annum emissions trading scheme tax have any confidence in the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research’s claim of anthropogenic global warming when the institute cannot replicate or justify its alarming claims of New Zealand’s warming and its representatives never picked up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s mistakes such as the bizarre claims that the melting of the Himalayan glaciers will lead to half of humanity being starved of water within 25 years and that 40 percent of the Amazonian rainforest will be replaced by savannah? 
Hon TIM GROSER 
: First of all this Government welcomes further scientific research into all these questions and any future questions that will no doubt arise. What the public of New Zealand can depend upon is that this Government will take a balanced approach both to its environmental responsibilities and to promoting the further economic growth of New Zealand.