It's Official—Climate Change Confirmed [Bill Kininmonth]

The farewell tributes poured in from home and away, Songs were sung, many speakers heard.

'An eminent climatologist and world authority,' Acting Director Doug Gauntlett told the audience, 'known for forthright and honest advice during long and dedicated service.

'He was the inaugural manager for the very complex Saudi project before moving to the new (former Meteorological Information Services Subsection and then the) NCC job'.

SRCA Mary Voice described Bill as 'A boss with a really great sense of humour . . . he created a valuable body of work and leaves a robust organisation. He also maintained the public interest consultative services program.'

John Shortridge, representing the ITOs, marvelled that he had seen Bill 'lapse into flappability' just once in the last four years.

John McCallum recalled meeting him on the day young Bill started at Perth Regional Office in March 1960. 'I've never heard a bad word said about him.'

John McBride of BMRC said he was held in high international regard, a 'very very good meteorologist remembered for terrific understanding of physical processes.'

Rod Hutchinson said 'Bill was passionate about getting things done well, and was always in command and in control . . . a great model.'

A fax from RD NSW Pat Sullivan noted 'personal attributes and professional skills that one needs to perform at gold medal standard . . . you will be missed from a personal and organisational standpoint.'

A startling Interview

Bill had a knockout story about his recruitment interview. In January 1960, 17-year-old Bill applied for a Commonwealth job. A PS Inspector, noting his maths and physics, suggested the Bureau of Stats. No luck. What about the weather bureau? Very nervous, Bill fronted the formidable George Mackey, Regional Director. 'What do you know about meteorology?' Mr Mackey asked me. 'I'd never heard the word. I passed out and next thing I knew the suits were bending over me offering a glass of water. Valuable lesson though—George answered the question for me; if anyone asks you anything you don't know, fudge a bit and they'll eventually tell you!'

Bill recalled 'seat of the pants' forecasting from Perth. 'A few obs from Kerguelen and Amsterdam Island . . . we'd run calipers across the Southern Ocean map for some rough rules of thumb.'

Bureau of Meteorology