Hodgson remark gets scientist into trouble

A Government scientist is understood to have been ordered to clear his desk and leave work after he publicly criticised climate change policy and said Climate Change Minister Pete Hodgson had "stuffed it up".

Kevin Patterson, who models energy needs for the Ministry of Economic Development, was quoted in the Herald on Monday saying mistakes had been made in the projections for meeting Kyoto Protocol commitments.

"Pete Hodgson stuffed it up ... he basically directed the staff to model the next target as if it had been accomplished."

Dr Patterson said he was so disillusioned with climate change policy that he was considering joining the brain drain overseas.

The Herald understands hours after the article was published on Monday, Dr Patterson was told to clear his desk.

It is also understood that he no longer has access to the ministry building or his work computer.

But a ministry spokesman said last night that Dr Patterson had not been asked to clear his desk. He was on a fixed-term contract, which was due to expire on Friday, and was away for the rest of the week on jury service.

The spokesman said, to the best of his knowledge, Mr Patterson was not reprimanded for his comments.

In Parliament yesterday, National Party climate change spokesman Nick Smith asked Mr Hodgson about Dr Patterson's comments.

Mr Hodgson said he did not think he had ever met Dr Patterson.

"That same person, in the same interview, said the carbon tax would reduce the gap, or something, by about 75 per cent. He is not, apparently, well aware of Government policy, at all. I repeat I have never met this apparently senior official. He certainly is not a senior official today - certainly not."

Dr Smith said Dr Patterson's treatment was "typical of Government bullying. There is a very high level of frustration across the board in the public service about climate change policy, which is in a diabolical mess".