Jim Salinger

M. Jim Salinger is an Auckland-based climate change scientist who formerly worked for the Crown Research Institute NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research).

He was a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change[1] which was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007[2] "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change"[3]

In 2006, Salinger was elected to the position of President of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology at the World Meteorological Organization.[4]

On Thursday 23 April 2009, Salinger was summarily dismissed by NIWA,[5] apparently for breaching NIWAs media policy. [6] Salinger had represented NIWA to the public and media for many years and the dismissal caused a 'wide public outcry' according to Television New Zealand.[7] The Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science described the incident as a 'national embarrassment'.[8]

In late May 2009, Salinger stated that mediation with NIWA over the dismissal had failed and that he would be lodging a claim with the Employment Relations Authority. [9] On 19 October 2009, the Employment Relations Authority in Auckland began a hearing into Salinger's dismissal,[10] during the hearing it emerged the Salinger has suffered from depression.[11] In December 2009, the Employment Relations Authority upheld Salinger's dismissal.[12]

References

  1. ^ Jim Salinger NZ SD Practitioners Directory, Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated website, retrieved 09-09-09.
  2. ^ Face of NIWA sacked for talking to media, TV One News, April 2004 2009.
  3. ^ "The Nobel Peace Prize 2007". Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2007/index.html. Retrieved 2008-10-20. 
  4. ^ New Zealander heads world commission for agricultural meteorology, News from NIWA, Vol.14 No.4 - December 2006, retrieved 7 May 2009.
  5. ^ Face of NIWA sacked for talking to media, Tsehai Tiffin, ONE News, Published: 6:59PM Friday April 24, 2009, retrieved 2:26 a.m. Sunday, May 3 2009. At WebCite.
  6. ^ Niwa sacks Jim Salinger, Stuff.co.nz, 24/04/2009, retrieved 2/5/09. At WebCite.
  7. ^ NZPA, Salinger seeks NIWA compensation, Television New Zealand Ltd News, 2009-10-19, retrieved 2009-10-19. At WebCite.
  8. ^ NZPA, Salinger's sacking 'a national embarrassment', Television New Zealand Ltd News, 2009-05-06, retrieved 2009-10-19. At WebCite.
  9. ^ Public hearing for Salinger case, The Dominion Post (Fairfax/Stuff.co.nz), 2009-05-22, retrieved 2009-10-10. Archived at WebCite
  10. ^ Salinger says he never saw NIWA media policy, Radio New Zealand News, 2009-10-19, retrieved 2009-10-19. At WebCite.
  11. ^ NZPA (2009-10-19). "Salinger call to Hickey 'personal'". www.stuff.co.nz. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2976535/Salinger-suffered-major-disorder-authority-told. Retrieved 2010-01-13. 
  12. ^ Tahana, Yvonne (2009-12-09). "Dismissal of climate man upheld". New Zealand herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10616915. Retrieved 2010-01-13.