One rule for farmers, another for DERM staff.

Something that is becoming a regular feature in the rural press is stories of landholders being threatened and/or prosecuted for land management practices that fall foul of their bureaucratic rules. They vary from clearing invasive weeds like turkey bush and parthenium weed right through to creating firebreaks, the list is endless. Clearly farmers property rights mean little in these times.

Draconian penalties and an endless process of harassment and costly legal expenses seem to now be the order of the day. This is happening in all states including Queensland, but an interesting case has emerged here in which a Department of Environmental Resource Management staffer seems to have been given special privileges. Doug Gillett reports in ‘Rural Weekly’ (an inclusion in some provincial papers) on what appears to be such a case:

A Lowmead grazier has accused a Department of Environmental Resource Management employee of destroying protected vegetation on a camping and water reserve.

Lynton Hayman has called for a full investigation into the felling of large gums and bloodwoods in the granite creek water and camping reserve. He also alleged that signs identifying the area as a reserve open to the public have been removed from the property.

The bushland area was leased from DERM by an employee of the State Government department for grazing purposes. …

A spokesman for DERM said it had been notified in advance of the leaseholders intention to fell trees to protect a fence line on the reserve.

(However) Mr. Hayman said the trees had been felled far away from any visible fence line. …

Apart from the strong probability that a government department leasing ground under its control to its own employees being a conflict of interest, questions arise as to the process of granting the lease and whether special privileges were granted, given the removal of the public access signs. The column is not online but an image with it is of stumps with no fence present.

Iowa good news for libertarians.

The Iowa caucuses presented two very good pieces of news for libertarians. The first was the strong vote for Ron Paul, who ended up just over 3% below the near dead heat for first place with 21.4% versus the 24.5/6% for Romney, Santorum, which is encouraging. It will be interesting to see how he fares in the primaries to follow, but it is reasonable to expect a stronger presence in the polls than occurred in 08.

The second is the early reports that Paul won convincingly among the under 40s, demonstrating that the rising demographic is moving significantly towards the libertarian position. We will be even stronger in years to come, and given that Ron Paul is well over 70 years old it is unlikely that this is a passing fascination brought about by his boyish good looks and sex appeal. Libertarianism is an idea whose time has arrived.

Ron has less than the proverbial snowflake in hells chance of making it through to the nomination, the political establishment and their media acolytes will see to that, but rather than this being a negative, it will give the Libertarian Party a strong appeal to non statist voters if they have Gary Johnson as their nominee. Liberty minded Republicans do not have to hold their noses and vote for the nominee this year; they have a viable alternative.

The LP has never had a candidate with a proven record of executive governance as a candidate before. They have the chance this time around to present their vision with a credible presence in the lead. While he lacks Ron’s kudos, he has a solid record as a libertarian governor in a successful eight years of good governance, and none of the baggage Paul has been weighted down with over the newsletter problem.

The GOP is effectively a divided house and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. The contest (with the exception of Paul) appears to be between big government moderates and big government conservatives, both reinvented and rebadged as limited government fiscal conservatives. If elected both sides will revert to their origins.

Libertarianism will come to the fore.

Global Temperatures? – Flat for 13 Years

Image Source:

See also:

by Viv Forbes & Helpers

Have you checked your Carbon Footprint?

What Really Happened in Durban?

What the media are not telling you
"We redistribute de facto the world's wealth by climate policy...Basically it's a big mistake to discuss climate policy separately from the major themes of globalization...One has to free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy. This has almost nothing to do with environmental policy anymore." - Ottmar Edenhoffer, high level UN-IPCC official.

Australia’s Greg Combet was played for a fool in Durban. He and the Kiwis followed the loony greens now running Old Europe. Their day is past. Old Europe has abandoned rationality and their current leaders care more for their green religion and their dreams of world government than for the welfare of their own people. The failure of their economic and energy policies is on display daily.

The European climate crazies were comprehensively outsmarted by the BASIC Group (Brazil, South Africa, India and China).

The Europeans want to continue penalising their people with expensive and unreliable energy. So the Basic Group humoured them by agreeing to let the Europeans keep penalising their people. The Europhiles of the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, picked the wrong side yet again, and have also chosen to keep penalising their people.

The US, Japan and Russia were bemused bystanders, happy to allow the Europeans to flagellate themselves. Canada kept quiet and dropped their withdrawal bombshell after getting home. Australia postponed the Kyoto costs so far by dispossessing Australian farmers with scrub-clearing bans. That trick will not work twice. When we have to fork over billions of real dollars (the prospect that Canada faced), hopefully sanity or an election will occur.

If anyone has any illusions on what the UN bureaucrats have in store for us they should read the report by Christopher Monckton on their 138 page document detailing how they will govern the world. It includes plans for:
• A new international climate court
• Rights for Mother Earth
• The right to survive (climate change) at our expense.
• Total disarmament (apart from UN forces no doubt) and the end of war.
• New dreamtime targets for world temperature, emissions and carbon dioxide content.
• Historic responsibility ie the west will pay for everything.
• World government with everyone reporting to the UN bureaucracy.
• A green climate fund (supplied by us of course).
• World-wide cap and trade.
• Technology transfer to be aided by abolition of patents and intellectual property rights.
• Taxes on shipping and aviation fuels (going to the UN of course).
• Equitable access to global atmospheric space
In case you think this is all make-believe, have a look at Christopher Monckton’s report here:

First Successful Low Emissions Economy.

Alexander Downer’s portrayal of North Korea lacks perspective (“A bit of a joke lost on long-suffering people”, 20/12). North Korea is the first country to move voluntarily and successfully to a low emissions economy.

William Kininmonth, Kew, Vic. The Australian, December 22, 2011

The Last Word for 2011

Thanks to all those who have sent information, suggestions, compliments, criticisms and Christmas Cards. We get a lift from letters like this:

"Thanks again, Viv, for giving voice to all of us out here who are not so enterprising, though still passionate about the reprehensible governmental behaviour over the "climate change" issue.”
But we also learn from critical comments, learned papers and even from the few abusive ones.

Unfortunately, although we look at everything and read most of them, we do not acknowledge or reply to many of them. If we tried to, we would do little else. So please take this as our collective “Thank You”.

Authorized by Viv Forbes, Chairman,
The Carbon Sense Coalition

Libertarian Party boosted by Johnson candidacy.

Why not a third party President? – Ed.

Image source: Mediate.com

The new Executive Director of the Libertarian Party, Carla Howell believes the candidacy of Governor Gary Johnson gives the party new possibilities and hope for 2012. Certainly, his presence in the campaign brings them the sort of presence and stature that any small party would give its eyeteeth for. 

A two term Governor who campaigned and served as a libertarian; it just doesn’t get any better than that:

Former Governor Gary Johnson’s announcement last week that he’s leaving the GOP and running for president as a Libertarian brings a high-profile candidate to our Libertarian primary. Thousands of news stories and political commentaries were published and aired nationwide since his announcement where LP Chair Mark Hinkle signed him up to be a Life Member of our party.

Possible results? Attention to Governor Johnson’s campaign. Attention to our other Libertarian presidential candidates. Attention to the Libertarian Party and our principles. A spotlight on our 2012 presidential nominating convention in May.

One news story published by Mediate.com said, "With independent or unaffiliated voters making up a larger part of the voter base than they have at any time in the past, there are many more people out there open to defecting from the two-party system.”

Indeed! According to a September Gallup poll, “55% of Americans say the two major parties do such an inadequate job of representing the American people that a third party is needed.”

Then there’s our libertarian friend Ron Paul.

His stunning ascent in the Republican primary – while running a libertarian campaign - is giving unprecedented attention and credibility to our libertarian goals.

If Ron Paul were to win the GOP nomination, a true Revolution in America would be underway. One that would put our libertarian agenda front-and-center in the 2012 election. This will bring heightened attention to our libertarian candidates who offer bold reductions in Big Government that most Republicans and Democrats won’t dare – and give voters the choice that so many desperately want: much smaller government and more freedom.

With the exception of Ron Paul, all of the Republican candidates are former big government statists who now claim to have had a road to Damascus moment, hearing the voice of the Tea Party calling for fiscal restraint. It was actually the sound of their political weather vane turning with public sentiment, and will turn back to establishment views once the eventual nominee reaches office and a need for pragmatism is discovered. Given the negativity of the current campaign, it is likely that by the time the nominee is chosen, he will have been dragged through so much mud nobody will vote for him.

Johnson is really the only credible candidate in the contest for libertarians, small government Republicans, and socially liberal Democrats, having the stature and ability to bring them together. Over eight years in New Mexico he proved his ability to govern a majority Democrat state without compromising his principles and achieving significant reforms while balancing the budget.

A third party presidency with Johnson at the helm would work well.

Charged for controlling parthenium weed.

By Dale Stiller on behalf of Property Rights Australia.

Property Rights Australia chairman, Joanne Rea said it is beyond belief that the Qld government would prosecute anyone for controlling weeds especially parthenium, a declared noxious, exotic weed which spreads aggressively into neighbouring property if not treated.

This follows hot on the heels of the capricious prosecution of Trenton Hindman of SW Queensland for renovating country infested with the invasive woody weed, turkey bush.

This reveals a pattern of unacceptable activism by some departmental officers. “What is the agenda of the State Government in pursuing people who have, in essence, done nothing wrong? Is common sense ever going to return to the pursuit of justice in this State?” Mrs. Rea, Chairman of Property Rights Australia said.”

The above quote was included in an article on page 9 in the 29th December 2011 issue of the QCL written by Troy Rowlings called, “Moore grazier defends weed ‘damage’ charge.” (not online - Ed)

Peter Leo lives on the farm that his family first settled in 1897 not far out of the hamlet of Linville. In 1911 a railway easement was cut through the farm and was used for this purpose until its close in 1989. Then in 2008 the Department of Infrastructure and Planning (DIP) took a sub-lease from the Department of Transport and Main Roads for the rail corridor land which was previously known as the Brisbane Valley Railway Line that ran from Wulkuraka Railway Station to Blackbutt. The DIP then started to develop the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail as part of the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Active Trails Strategy and community greenspace network. The rail trail is supposed to be for walking, cycling and horse riding.

Photo sourced from ATHRA

The start of Peter Leo’s recent problems was the floods in January 2011; the same floods known nationally and internationally for the havoc they wreaked along the Lockyer Creek and the Brisbane River. After the flood waters had long gone, weeds germinated. In a phone call that I had with Peter he related not only of the abnormal amount of weeds but the variety of them, some that had not been seen before. Amongst the normal weeds such as noogoora burr were patersons curse and parthenium. The parthenium plants were found on the rail trail and Peter sent a sample to the Queensland Herbarium who confirmed that the plants were indeed parthenium.

The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail employs a Trail Ranger to whom Peter Leo reported the weeds on at least two occations but no action was forthcoming. Peter wrote a letter to the Minister whose portfolio included the DIP. When a new minister, Paul Lucas took over this department a letter was despatched to him as well. In all his efforts to have action taken about weeds on the rail trail after 8 months Peter received no satisfactory response. An unwelcomed response was for the Director, Resource and Landscape in DIP, Steve MacDonald, sending a letter of demand for records of any agreement that the family had with the railway. An unlikely event that even if there was any agreement of the chances of documents surviving from 1911.

By mid-August the weeds were out of control, Peter did not wish for the weeds to go to seed so he decided to control the weeds by the means of a tractor & a disc implement to plough the weeds in. “A light harrow job””, as Peter called it. At the end of August parthenium was found by Peter & a friend on the rail trail. Peter sprayed the parthenium and also ploughed again. This was the first time that he had ever found parthenium but controlling weeds and encouraging natural grasses had been practiced by Peter along this easement ever since the railway had left.

On this map the railway is shown as a dotted line. Peter Leo's farm is just south of Linville.

After the weed control had been done the Trail Ranger turned up & reported it to the DIP. As a result a policeman paid a visit to Peter Leo, the policeman inspected the situation & left presumably satisfied that no charge was warranted. However the next day the policeman came back with the news that he had been instructed to charge Peter Leo.

Peter found himself taken in, finger printed, a swab taken for DNA and charged. Peter had been told to plead guilty and take a $100 fine. In a state of disbelieve and indignant at his treatment Peter told me that he decided, as he put it, “I’m not a criminal; I am not pleading guilty.”

He is convinced that the orders to charge him came from at a higher level in the DIP. The minister Paul Lucas was well aware of the situation, in fact Peter was told that “Paul Lucas had hit the roof”. Peter believes that this is a “political charge and that he has been subjected to intimation” and also that, “Independent discretion has been taken away from the police.”

If this is what occurred it is a very serious situation and of great concern for the administration of justice in Queensland.

Charging a person for controlling a declared noxious, exotic weed such as parthenium is bad enough but what is even more incredible is the charge brought against him, that he has to appear before a court for mention on January 6th – wilful damage.

Peter Leo was told that he had damaged the integrity of the rail trail.

Peter Leo told me that he “just wants to be left alone”, but I can tell you from listening to him that he will not roll over on this one just to be rid of the situation as soon as he can; this is one determined man.

It’s just as well they’re licensed.

Image: Melbourne Arts Centre fire. Source; Sun Herald.

Many years ago when fun was allowed you could use fireworks pretty much whenever you wanted celebrate in Australia. Guy Fawkes night on the 5th of November was the main one when they were traditionally used to celebrate the plot to blow up the British House of Lords in 1605.

The aftermath was usually a few injuries and the odd fire, and after a time the do gooders managed to have it stopped. The use of fireworks, like most other activities over here has been regulated and licensed to ensure that the ‘untrained’ are not able to access them. Who knows what might happen if the organizers of the new year celebration in Melbourne had not used qualified people to arrange the spectacle?

Possibly the whole Arts Centre would have burned down:

THE cause of a New Year's Eve fireworks mishap which saw the Arts Centre spire catch alight will be investigated. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the spire fire had not caused structural damage or endangered the public because of the exclusion zone around the site. …

The fire is believed to have started from one of the fireworks in the spire, that failed to discharge properly during the spectacular show, which was witnessed by more than half a million people. Mr Brinkman said the fire on the spire burnt itself out after about 40 minutes.

The area around the Arts Centre was evacuated immediately following the end of the of the fireworks. Large pieces of flaming debris fell at about 12.32am, causing smoke to rise from a lower level of the spire.

Of course accidents happen from time to time, but there would a full hue and cry were fireworks used 'illegally' to start a blaze.

Samoa joins us on the West of the dateline.

Image: Courtesy, The Daily Mail.

Well it’s the New Year here and this time we have Samoa joining us at the start of the day instead of waiting for the world to do nearly a full revolution. Now if we can just talk the Yanks into doing the same, we will have the important part of the world, all on the same day at the same time.

This would improve the election coverage for us so we don’t have to wait until Wednesday afternoon for the US to announce its results on Tuesday night.

There seems to be a little confusion in the press though, with many outlets reporting that the country has moved west over the Date Line. This is understandable though, with reporters being so tied up in statism that it is probably easier for them to visualize an island moving than a line on the map drawn by bureaucrats doing so:

The tiny South Pacific island is moving west over the international dateline …

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told Radio New Zealand that the drastic move would lead to major improvements in trade and tourism.

'No longer shall we have people ringing us up from New Zealand and Australia thinking it is Monday when we are closing our eyes and praying at churches,' he said.

'And vice versa on our Fridays when we ring up and already our contacts are holidaying on their Saturdays.' Samoa's population of 180,000 will now be one of the first in the world to welcome in the New Year, rather than the last.

This move has caused them to lose Friday the 30th which was replaced with Saturday the 31st, this in itself causing some consternation among the Seventh Day Adventists, although there are no reports of other Saturday Sabathists having this problem:

Critics say Samoa could lose tourist trade by no longer being the last place on earth to see the sun set - but it will now be one of the first places to see in each new day.

The nation's seventh Day Adventists are also divided over the change, and whether they should now observe the Sabbath on Saturday or Sunday.
Officials are working on creating new maps, charts and atlases for the island, as it moves over the zig-zag dateline.

Since the original setting of the time zone to the US side in 1892, trade has moved from being predominantly with America, to being mainly with New Zealand, Australia, and Asia. Being on the same day makes a lot of sense.