It was the Abbott government's original idea for the University of Western Australia to host a think tank created by the "sceptical environmentalist" Bjorn Lomborg, according to leaked talking points.
The government will provide $4 million over four years to bring Dr Lomborg's Copenhagen Consensus Centre methodology to Australia at a new centre within the University of Western Australia (UWA) business school.
In the talking points, obtained by Fairfax Media, UWA says it does not plan to spend any money on the centre and that it believes government funding will largely cover its cost. The government has previously stated that UWA would also contribute to the centre and that the government is contributing only a third of its estimated cost.
While Dr Lomborg accepts the science of human-induced climate change, he is a controversial figure because he has argued that the risks of climate change have been overstated and it is more important to tackle problems such as malaria.
He has campaigned against the Kyoto Protocol and the use of carbon pricing as a solution to cut carbon emissions, instead favouring investments in research and development.
Since the centre was announced, there has been speculation, including among university staff members, about how the centre was conceived and how it came to be funded.
Last week a spokesman for Education Minister Christopher Pyne said: "The government is contributing around a third of the total cost of the centre based on a proposal put forward by the University of Western Australia and Dr Lomborg's organisation."
But in talking points circulated to UWA staff members, David Harrison, UWA' s head of corporate and government affairs, provides a suggested answer to any students or colleagues to the question: "How did the Australia Consensus Centre come to UWA?"
"UWA was approached by the federal government," the talking points state.
"We saw it as a good opportunity, not only for the university's reputation as a global leader in higher education, but also as a way we could make a positive difference in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the world today."
The university would not respond to questions on Wednesday, but Mr Harrison did not back away from the statements contained in the email, including that the establishment of the centre was a suggestion from the government.
"We stand by the points raised in the talking points," Mr Harrison told Fairfax Media.
Fairfax Media understands that government ministers, following discussions with Dr Lomborg, had the idea of bringing his methodology to Australia and approached UWA about hosting the centre. The university then submitted a proposal to the government that was accepted.
Dr Lomborg has links to some of the government's most senior figures.
In November, Trade Minister Andrew Robb had a meeting with Dr Lomborg and later tweeted a picture of them together. "Had a good chat with Bjorn Lomborg about the power of trade in eliminating poverty," Mr Robb tweeted.
In March, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop appointed him to a reference group advising on Australia's foreign aid programs.
Tony Abbott quoted Dr Lomborg in his 2009 book, Battlelines, to explain why it doesn't make sense "to impose certain and substantial costs on the economy now in order to avoid unknown and perhaps even benign changes in the future".
The UWA talking points state: "Australia Consensus Centre will focus on applying an economic lens to proposals to achieve good for Australia, the region and the world, prioritising those initiatives which produce the most social value per dollar spent.
"We don't expect everyone to agree with the work of the centre, but we are looking forward to the debate and the sharing of the ideas to find the best solution."
The establishment of the centre comes as the UWA has moved to axe other research facilities and academic staff in the sciences.
It is understood some UWA academics are disgruntled by the decision to give $4 million to Dr Lomborg for the new centre amid the cuts.
The university has axed its world-renowned Centre for Water Research, led by scientist Jorg Imberger, winner of the most prestigious award in his field, the Stockholm Water Prize.
In March, UWA justified the decision by saying the centre was running at a loss and has suspended Professor Imberger amid an investigation for alleged misconduct.
In an email to supporters of the Climate Council on Friday, former Australian of the Year Tim Flannery said it was "extraordinary" that the government had abolished the Climate Commission "which was composed of Australia's best climate scientists, economists and energy experts" on the basis of lack of funding only to find the money to "import a politically-motivated think tank to work in the same space."
"Mr Lomborg's views have no credibility in the scientific community," Professor Flannery wrote.
"His message hasn't varied at all in the last decade and he still believes we shouldn't take any steps to mitigate climate change. When someone is unwilling to adapt their view on the basis of new science or information, it's usually a sign those views are politically motivated."
