When it comes to dealing with matters of profound complexity and gravity, matters that will have a fundamental impact on our lives, we expect decisions to be based on the best expert advice available. Yet, disturbingly, when it comes to working how Australia should tackle climate change – the “great moral challenge of our generation”–politicians are sidelining independent science and policy advisory bodies for the sake of political expediency.

Within hours of Kevin Rudd’s return to the helm – just shy of the first anniversary of the carbon pricing mechanism on 1 July – reports emerged of a potential election promise to bring forward the trading phase of the scheme, in line with business demands. Moving to an emissions trading scheme will make it cheaper for business and industry to comply with the scheme because they’ll have access to the dirt-cheap European Union permits (currently trading at approximately $4.65 in Australian currency, compared to the scheme’s 2013-2014 fixed price of $24.15) and distance the Rudd government from Gillard’s much maligned “carbon tax”.

Following the trend in recent years, climate change policy is once again in the national spotlight around a federal election and leadership spill. But there are some things that are too important to leave to politics, subject as it is to lobbying and opinion polls. This is one of the reasons why the minority government established the expert Climate Change Authority – to get the issue out of politics and publicly provide government decision-makers with impartial advice on how to best cut fossil fuel emissions. And they should be commended for that.

The Climate Change Authority reviews and advises the government about Australia’s climate change policies, including the operation and effectiveness of the carbon price and renewable energy target. Some of Australia’s leading experts from business, science and ethics sit on its board. It’s in charge of recommending yearly carbon pollution limits ("caps") and tracking our progress on cutting emissions. By law, its reviews and advice must be guided by principles of fairness, the public interest and environmental effectiveness. It has a legislative duty to engage in public consultation and make its review and recommendations publicly available. The development of climate policy in nations like the UK has been dependent on the fierce independence and expertise of similar bodies.

This week, prime minister Rudd meets with his newly assembled team of ministers (including a replacement for outgoing climate change minister, Greg Combet). Will Rudd seek and heed the advice of this body as he takes the reins of Australia’s climate policy once again? Or will he sideline climate expertise to do what is politically convenient and advantageous?

On the other side of the political spectrum, things look even grimmer. If elected, the Abbott-led Coalition intends to abolish the Climate Change Authority entirely (along with the carbon pricing mechanism, a range of other clean energy measures and the Climate Commission - the body established to provide all Australians with an independent and reliable source of information about climate change science).

Australians respect the role and advice of independent expertise in other priority areas, like Australia’s monetary policy (Reserve Bank), economic policy (Productivity Commission), health (National Health and Medical Research Council) and national water reform (National Water Commission). Are we really prepared to accept our leaders marginalising, or indeed abolishing, climate expertise?

Bodies known for their conservatism – the World Bank, the International Energy Agency and companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers – have reviewed the best available science and are united: we’re on a collision course with climate catastrophe. We are playing a giant experiment with an extraordinarily complex system. We are changing the chemical composition of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans at unprecedented rates. And we’re entering a climate never before experienced by human civilisation. We’re the guinea pigs in this experiment, which we desperately need to bring under control.

Policy-makers and theorists have a word for these kinds of issues. They call them "wicked problems". And climate change is the wickedest problem we face today. The wickedest problems call for the wisest counsel. That’s unlikely to be found on the floor of parliament. What we need are impartial experts. But we also need leaders who are willing to listen.