Is “Carbon Sense” just supporting Big Coal?

By Viv Forbes

The Carbon Sense Coalition 


Here is an extract from a consistent media critic in regional NSW (who incidentally appears to be a government employee and has the title (which he did not reveal in his letter): “Advisory Officer, Climatology”.) 

QUOTE: “Viv Forbes recently presented yet another poorly thought through effort, this time attempting to support the coal industry that he a part of . . .”

And my answer: 

“P is right that I have long experience in the carbon industries – both coal and oil/gas. That is all public knowledge, never hidden. But I spent my childhood on a dairy farm at Wheatvale, then worked for the government, explored for metals, worked as an investment analyst, maintained life-long grazing interests and now spend my semi-retirement on a small full time grazing property at Rosevale. I am a non-executive director and minor shareholder of a small coal explorer (which incidentally will benefit from Asian demand for Australian coal if foolish politicians send our big energy intensive industries to Asia). But I have NEVER been paid to represent the views of the coal industry, unlike many climate alarmists who are paid by tax payers to spruik the anti-carbon views of the government and the green extremists.

“P may care to check out the views of the real paid coal industry lobbyists, the Queensland Resource Council. They are opposed to my views in most critical areas.

“They support carbon capture and burial – I do not. They promote the view that man-made carbon dioxide has a significant and detrimental effect on climate – I do not. And Mr Kloppers, the CEO of Australia’s biggest coal producer, BHP, supported a carbon tax – I do not.

“No P, I do not represent big coal interests – I stand up for consumers, tax payers, employees, shareholders and those devoted to science and logic in determining climate and energy policies.  I am proud to do that.”

It follows that much of what we say about the anti-carbon campaign will automatically be a defence of those industries wrongfully and deliberately harmed by climate alarmism – chiefly coal, oil, forestry, cement, steel, the livestock industries and all who use the products of these industries.