Senator RENNICK: Okay-last question. I had a conversation with Gavin Morris a couple of years ago about the way the ABC reports the increase in temperature from 1910. The ABC, like many other media organisations, reports the homogenised data without actually explaining the difference between the homogenised data and the raw data. Gavin Morris stressed that they reported the raw data. That is incorrect; the ABC reports the homogenised data. So I’ll ask this question again: why won’t the ABC distinguish between the raw data and the homogenised data, which is a different dataset to the actual observations recorded by the bureau? Mr Anderson: I don’t know the answer to that. I will need to take that on notice and provide a response to you. Senator RENNICK: Okay. I would like to point out that Gavin Morris did say last time that they reported the raw data and that they distinguished between raw and homogenised. I’ll stress this again, the ABC doesn’t, but I think in terms of full transparency they should.

Question Number: 95
PDR Number: SQ22-000794
Date Submitted: 29/11/22
Department or Body: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) uses data supplied by leading scientific bodies including the Bureau of Meteorology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

For daily data, such as the temperatures used in weather reports, raw data is used.

Homogenised data is always used when it is published by the Bureau of Meteorology for climate related stories as there is no alternative dataset. For example, when talking about climate trends over large areas like the Australian land mass, the ABC typically uses homogenised data, as there is no meaningful alternative. The ABC understands this is the standard approach taken by credible scientific bodies.

For general news reporting, the ABC looks to the position taken by leading scientific agencies on whether to use raw or homogenised data.
The methods used by the Bureau of Meteorology to homogenise data have been peer-reviewed, and have been subject to additional independent reviews which have confirmed they are world-leading.

When newsworthy, the difference between homogenised and raw data is discussed, as it was in the following stories:

• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-24/government-discussed-bominvestigation-over-climate-change/6799628
• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-24/nasa-director-schools-malcolmroberts-in-climate-change-letter/8052132