Climate change denier Bryan Leyland as a "must read"? Has Bryce Edwards jumped the shark?

I usually enjoy reading the usually thoughtful opinions of Otago political scientist Bryce Edwards of the Liberation blog. Since the 2011 election Bryce Edwards has written a daily column in the New Zealand Herald. But in his column of 27 February 2012, Bryce Edwards endorses an opinion piece by climate change denier Bryan Leyland as a "must-read item for the day".

"For those interested in issues of inequality (and the environment), the must-read item for the day is Brian Leyland's "The only way is full steam ahead". Leyland makes the case for the necessity of both economic growth and technological innovation in order improve not just the interest of society as a whole, but to reduce inequality and protect the environment".

Really. Really! Really?

Bryan Leyland is one of New Zealand's premier deniers of anthropogenic 20th century climate change. Leyland was a foundation member of New Zealand's American-funded deniers organisation - the New Zealand Climate "Science" Coalition.

Has Bryce Edwards lost it? Has he jumped the proverbial shark? Has he succumbed to media savviness under the pressure of having to provide a daily political column?

Bryce Edwards should be aware that climate contrarians like Leyland enjoy a media platform out of proportion to their expertise;

"media-savvy individuals with outlier views on climate change can be disproportionally represented in the national news media regardless of the level of their expertise".

I don't know, but I have just lost some confidence in the opinions of Bryce Edwards.