Australia’s credulous media is at it again, assisted by the Bureau of Meteorology and a smattering of academics. Australia has the warmest year in a hundred, and it is “proof” that global warming is on the way.

Yet what would they say about global warming if we were having the coldest winter in 20 years? Nothing, appears to be the answer, judged on their coverage of the extremely cold weather assailing North America.

The principle behind global warming is that if it is occurring it must be global. Local warming doesn’t count – that’s not climate, it’s just weather.

So neither the North American event, nor the Australian ones, can be claimed to show anything on their own, and it is irresponsible for media organisations, academics or weather bureaux to say anything else.

No wonder we can’t have a sensible conversation on this subject when so many in positions of authority and power are determined to distort it.

For the record, globally last year was hot, but not the hottest, and while there have been three peaks in the last 16 years, temperature has essentially gone nowhere.

Global temperatures as measured by satellite

The mystery as to why there has been an unpredicted standstill is what media coverage ought to be concentrating on. Climate, not weather.