Australian Family First Senator Steve Fielding is quoted saying “global warming is not real”

An interesting development reported by the Murdoch news. This little saga has run for over a couple of weeks now as the Rudd Labor Government tries to pass its emissions trading legislation.
Joanne Nova has reported on the Senator’s meeting with Minister Penny Wong. Then there has been several articles on the issue, for example this in The Australian.
Interesting point lost on most is that now the fledgling Climate Sceptics Party might have a de facto senate candidate – whenever the next senate election is for Steve Fielding.

David Archibald on – The State of the Sun – 16th June, 2009

The Ap Index is heading down sharply.
Ap time series
The F10.7 flux is flatlining. Note that the volatility has gone out of it
F10.7 flux
The rate of decline of the heliospheric current sheet suggests that the month of solar minimum may be still a year off.
heliospheric current sheet  time series
Like the Ap Index, the Interplanetary Magnetic Field recently headed down sharply.
Interplanetary Magnetic Field
The Oulu neutron count is trending up steeply. If the month of solar minimum is still a year off, the neutron count can be expected to continue rising for another two years.
Oulu neutron count
Solar wind flow pressure is going to new lows.
Solar wind flow pressure
Summary
The Sun has gone very quiet and several indicators of activity are still heading down. Solar Cycle 23 may end up being 14 years long. Solar activity modelling that I have recently become aware of suggests that the Sun will have very low activity until 2016.