A bit like the show in Canberra, only ours is even more bizarre.

While the Coalition swings wildly between recent statements by the PM Scott Morrison that climate change is real, to last week's repudiation of the IPCC (the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change) by his deputy and Nationals leader Michael McCormack, in Orange we have been getting climate lectures on the polar ice caps and distorted weather observations of European explorers from councillors who want to shape our response to climate change now, and beyond the September council elections.

At the February 4 council meeting for example, Cr Kevin Duffy argued against a motion by Cr Stephen Nugent calling for a climate change strategy for the city, by drawing on his knowledge of the ice ages.

"Of course climate change is happening, it's been happening since day one - it's not going to kill us," Cr Duffy said.

Nor it seemed was Cr Duffy concerned about receding sea ice or retreating glaciers: "the (Arctic and Antarctic) poles have melted before," Cr Duffy told the meeting.

Cr Duffy was on the losing side of a vote which passed (7 to 4) Cr Nugent's call for a strategy to deal with the impacts of climate change.

Cr Kidd supported the motion, but not before calling out the "bullies" in the climate change debate and reminding councillors and the public gallery that bushfires and searing heat in this region were nothing new.

Cr Kidd relied on Joseph Banks' observations of bushfires and temperature readings of 109 degrees fahrenheit when he visited Bathurst in 1836. (sic)

Yes, Councillor Kidd was confusing the botanist Banks with Charles Darwin.

And Cr Kidd's conversion of Fahrenheit to 48.4 degrees Celsius was overcooked by about five degrees.

This is a real concern because what Orange does to help reduce the impact of climate change and adapt to those effects we will be stuck with at least in the medium term, really matters.

And it needs to be based on reputable climate science.

Contrary to those in absolute denial or those saying to the rest of the world "you go first", I don't believe we have the luxury of hoping the world fraternity of climate scientists have got it wrong.

Nor can we sit on our hands and wait for a lead from countries who used to look to us.

In Orange we have shown through initiatives like storm water harvesting, that local government can set an example for others to follow.

However we cannot set a meaningful and effective example in the sphere of climate change or indeed develop Cr Nugent's climate change strategy unless councillors and the community are informed by peer-reviewed climate science.

Orange has some of the leading climate scientists in the country.

They should be invited to address a forum of councillors and the community in the hope this council and the one to follow in September can make informed decisions, for our children's sake.