Wholesale theft in the name of carbon
By Jo Nova
Imagine a third world nation was mired in corruption so deeply that the ruling class were able to stealthily steal the rights to vast acreage of private property from landowners without paying any compensation.
Imagine that one of the victims of this injustice had approached every court of the land and had not even had his case heard, even after more than 200 attempts. In desperation, and with no other avenue available, having officially “lost the farm”, he starts a hunger strike, which has now gone for 28 days unbroken, threatening to starve to death if he has to.
Welcome to Australia — right on track for Third World Status.
Get ready to be shocked. This is an moving example of why “policy by accident” is a dangerous way to govern. In this case, innocuous feel-good laws end up crushing upstanding citizens. Peter Spencer is still alive (though he may only have 12 – 20 days to go) but how many other farming men were put through the environmental-ringer, and drowned themselves in brandy, picked up a gun, or crashed the car into the only tree near the road? None of these deaths would be recorded as victims of bureaucracy.
Peter Spencer bought a farm south of Canberra in the early 1980’s. In the mid 1990’s new laws rolled into action that prevented land clearing. That meant, even though the land belonged to him, Peter could no longer clear the regrowth. Eighty percent of what he paid for was effectively confiscated. He received nothing in return and there was no way out. He couldn’t sell the property — who would buy a piece of land they have no right to use?
But Peter still had a mortgage to pay, and no way of earning the money to do it. Recently, his last legal avenue was exhausted, and the sherriff gained a warrant to take the farm off him. That was the final straw…
Peter Spencer has issued the Prime Minister of Australia with a letter of his demands. He wants a Royal Commission and compensation for all the farmers who have lost the right to use their land.
Compensation would cost billions. But Kevin Rudd’s “stimulus package” (spend-for-the-sake-of-spending), was 42 billion dollars big.
This is what happens when big government gets your money. It gives a “free” handout of $950 per tax-payer to randomly “stimulate the economy”, and uses the rest to build school halls, even in schools which already had a hall, or in schools which desperately needed a library.
…
Spencer points out that the land-grab by the Australian Government meant the nation met it’s Kyoto commitments, a target that would otherwise have been blown away. The carbon stored in confiscated land amounts to about $10.7 billion in carbon credits. Probably the total value lost (with interest) from the productive use of that land would be many times higher.
Read the rest of this tragic story here at Jo Nova’s website.
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Here’s the most important question: How does the Australian Government account for sequestered carbon when much of this land is prone to bushfires? Do they reset their Kyoto carbon sequestration tally for that land back to zero when all that carbon goes back into the atmosphere?
I’m reminded of this story, also from Australia, where even clearing land to save your home from imminent fire is met with fines and legal issues by the government:
“We’ve lost two people in my family because you dickheads won’t cut trees down…”
The whole carbon scheme is insane.
NOTE: I’ve made a change to the title, based on some commenters objection to the use of the word “retarded”. While some saw it in the context of “mental retardation”, that was not my intent. I was thinking of the use of the word in the context of retarding enterprise and freedom. They have certainly “retarded” the ability of people to use their land. I’ve changed the word to “restrictive”. I apologize if this offended anyone. It was a poor word to use. – Anthony
UPDATE: News just in this evening via WUWT commenter “helvio”: ABC Australia says the Mr. Spencer has ended the hunger strike. Details here
John Hooper (10:23:07) :
I get the point about Rudd bashing, but –
“In the mid 1990’s new laws rolled into action that prevented land clearing.” – – “Eighty percent of what he paid for was effectively confiscated.” – – “He received nothing in return…” – – “….had a mortgage to pay, and no way of earning the money to do it.” – – “…his last legal avenue was exhausted…”
“The whole carbon scheme is insane.”
where is the “knee-jerk posturing”?
So what’s the story? Howard is not in power, Rudd is. It may be unfair to blame Rudd for the situation, but he is the one in power to do something about it and, as I understand it, will not, but has dolled out billions (as here in the US) to feckless causes. But maybe you missed that last sentence, so let me repeat it – The whole carbon scheme is insane.
And let me add – IT HURTS AND HAS ALREADY KILLED INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE GLOBE WHILE DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO CHANGE THE WEATHER!
This story could have been written by Franz Kafka.
re: “Reply: This is a reprint of Jo Nova’s article with the original title. ~dbs”
If it was the original title, it had been changed quite some time ago. I first read the article there circa Dec. 22. As someone who for many years was involved in the field of providing services to people with developmental handicaps, I would have noticed and written to Jo to ask her to change such a title.
And the link to her site for the rest of the article does not contain this word – nor does a search of her site for the word “retarded” turn up any pages.
We’ve got a (fairly extreme) right-wing, climate-nonalarmist government in Canada that blew $58 billion, achieving nothing of value for the majority of Canadians. I wouldn’t be so quick to conflate so-called “stimulus” waste, party lines, & science. There is something far more sinister going on globally that transcends all party lines – the threatening divisions are along class lines. Common folks will need to put aside political partisanship to neutralize the fake climate “issue” – the paradox is that any other course will escalate the issue to even more prominent status.
“Have an accidental fire. Possibly claim some compensation”
With the current heat wave in SE Australia, it is not a good idea to light fires. If it got away from him the penalties are severe and he would loose all support.
•Starting a bushfire and being reckless as to its spread – maximum 14 years’ imprisonment;
•Damaging property with the intention of endangering life – maximum 25 years’ imprisonment; and
•Manslaughter – maximum 25 years’ imprisonment
If only he was a union rep and was told he could not do anything with his land by his boss. Then he would Rudd and his 2IC down there to sort it out plus a mob outside his boss’s office protesting. Things would be fixed quick.
No wonder the creeps in AU confiscated all weapons…
DE OPPRESSO LIBER
Change the title of the article and issue an apology. It is offensive and degrades the web site.
As in Stalin vs. the Kulaks, the outcome is precisely what the government intended: destruction of capitalism.
The same thing happened to a number of mining companies. After exploring their lease and finding an orebody they found that the govt had made their ground part of a national park. Once again no compensation was given. The greenies were in a win-win-win situation; mining stopped, no cost to anyone but the mining Co, a new national park.
On the burning/land clearing issue. Native undisturbed plants sequester carbon in their root systems, whether that portion of the plant above ground is burned or not. Disturbing the root systems via farming eliminates this form of carbon sequestration. Not defending the governments actions, just attemping to clarify an issue on this thread.
A taking is a taking. This is a heart-rendering story, but why are the government actions descibed here different than them taking our money (carbon tax) or our right to perform business activities (CO2 emissions limits)?
latitude (11:17:10) :
Compensation was offered. Discussed in detail here:
http://www.australianclimatemadness.com/?p=2762
“The Nature Conservation Trust offered to purchase Mr Spencer’s property for $2,170,000. Mr Spencer objected to the valuation and began proceedings.”
Whether or not this represents a fair valuation is an interesting question I would like to know the answer to. According to this article – Spencer was fishing around for close to $40 mill in litigation from state/federal gov. Estimated loss of property value claimed to $1.2m – would be interesting to know his own valuation of property was. Then the restitution claim : “and restitution (for the appropriation of carbon credits between 1990 and 2020) of $37.5 million.”.
Spencer went to the courts, trying to litigate against the government but didn’t lawyer up. Like trying to climb Mount Everest without prior climbing experience and without a Sherpa.
A statement from Spencer’s family:
“Native vegetation laws enacted over 10 years ago by State Governments (and certainly not the ETS proposals and “Carbon Sinks” which are a far more recent development) are not the sole reason for the collapse of Peter’s farm, and really have had a very small part to play. For MANY reasons the farm has not been profitable for a long time.”
Moderators: pls delete previous version. Thanks
Every Man Should have a Rifle
So I sit and write and ponder, while the house is deaf and dumb,
Seeing visions “over yonder” of the war I know must come.
In the corner – not a vision – but a sign for coming days
Stand a box of ammunition and a rifle in green baize.
And in this, the living present, let the word go through the land,
Every tradesman, clerk and peasant should have these two things at hand.
No – no ranting song is needed, and no meeting, flag or fuss –
In the future, still unheeded, shall the spirit come to us!
Without feathers, drum or riot on the day that is to be,
We shall march down, very quiet, to our stations by the sea.
While the bitter parties stifle every voice that warns of war,
Every man should own a rifle and have cartridges in store!
Rudd says he won’t be “intimidated by one man”. Sounds just like those alarmists and their “one or two crack-pot shills”, doesn’t it?
But look at all those farmers our there, protesting for the rights (in the video with the accompanying link). I hope to God they show the good politician the err of his ways.
Joe Romm is trying o get all self righeous over this “title”
Theft is also a great word. Unlawful deprivation of property rights.
Romm of couse works for a convicted Fwelon named George Soros. soros was convicted in France for financial fraud as he was in Hungaryy.
It is crooks working for thugs that make all kinds of judgemental claims.
Romm is regurgitating stories from china today. [snip – inappropriate]
This Australian rancher is getting ignored by the greenie weenie agenda.
I fel Austrialia will get their brain together and fire the corrupt Rudd and what he stands for.
Soros sock Puppets are not sympathetic to huma property rights.
I am with Frank et al who object to the title. It is unnecessary, offensive and, as TH notes, diminishes this web site. Please replace it and simply note that the title has been changed. This is not a PC issue, it is simply a matter of bad taste.
“policy by accident”? that’s too diplomatic (ethymology: double meaning), let us be clear, it is “policy by greed”, what else if not is it green politics?
There must be thousands in the world by now. That is why it is so important a blog like WUWT. Those who expect making money from a GAS, from CO2…come on!
Read the real story, the man needs help not blog posts.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/message-from-peter-spencers-family/story-e6frg6nf-1225817464020
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/family-financial-dispute-helped-send-hunger-striker-peter-spencer-up-the-pole/story-e6frg6nf-1225817155039
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/startling-revelations-have-emerged-about-farm-hunger-striker/story-e6frg6o6-1225817185811
It’s sad that the integrity of this site has become increasingly defiled by political tribalism. Once again I must point out the headline and draw attention to the timeline of the injustice. Yes, it happened under a conservative government. Why is this piece then targeted at solely at Rudd?
To defeat this politicization of global warming we must not let this become a matter of Left vs Right politics. If for no other reason than you’ll alienate three quarters of the media who lean left. You don’t like that it’s that way. Fine, but whinge somewhere else about it. You won’t change it here.
Try to put yourself in the mindset of those you’re trying to convince. The second they see they’ve arrived at a site that’s so obviously politically one-eyed, and politically one-eyed against them, they’ll immediately discount everything you have to say .
Just like that. You understand because you’re the same. Right?
The only way forward is to make this defiantly non-partisan. So the less you draw on sources that appear to be “right wing think tanks” and non-academic “institutes,” with names like the Free Enterprise Foundation, the better chance we have of making ground in this propaganda war.
Oh and while we’re at it. If you believe in creation, FFS keep it to yourself.
I fear many here miss the point. An individual, a family, a town, a city, indeed a whole country does not matter. The issue is population, not climate. Climate is the excuse! Population reduction, significant population reduction, is the objective. We are only ‘carbon units’ infesting planet Earth a’la Star Trek. Remember Scrooge? “Tis better to reduce the surplus population…etc.” Welcome to reality. Tisn’t TV, tis life; real life we’re into here, not a collection of wierdo’s on the tellie. There really is something real about reality TV these days, there’s a lot of wierdos on this here planet.
Jerry Haney (10:32:29) :
If this happened to me, I would make full use of my Second Amendment rights, long before I starved myself to death.
Beg to differ Jerry. Second encourages the bearing of arms against predators of all kinds. ‘Specially the lyin’ cheatin’ stealin’ kind.
I have great respect for Mr. Spencer and the actions he’s taken to reclaim his rights. However, I have no respect for the Australian people who have allowed this to happen, who have fallen for the global warming scam and support idiotic treaties like Kyoto. With any luck they will create a self-induced food shortage and starve themselves back to reality.
Anthony, good question:
“Here’s the most important question: How does the Australian Government account for sequestered carbon when much of this land is prone to bushfires?”
The Australian National University carried out a much publicised study in 2008 from which they concluded that old growth native forests stored more carbon than regrowth (logged) forests.
Then along came Black Saturday and wiped out their experimental plots!
Peter Spencer by the way is only the tip of the iceberg of farmers disadvantaged by this stupid policy. Others have protested and been ignored.
In some cases the invasive woody vegetation they are not allowed to clear is not even native to their areas.
I’m not acquitting Rudd, but the headline should read: “Retarded Australia” or “Australia, Nation of Retards” to make it clear we reelected the Government responsible and then eventually replaced it with one even more clueless, which will almost certainly be returned at next election no matter what.
Hi, sorry everyone but it is essential everyone now read McFoogal’s links.
Peter Spencer is having a giant intra-family dispute over borrowings from the family involving $1m or so. His only asset is his land and the family are moving to re-possess this land to settle the debt. AGW is barely involved.
The stress has apparently got to Peter and irrational things are going on.
Antony Watts, this post and comments are making your excellent blog ridiculous. Call a halt before everyone beclowns themselves.
Vincent (10:51:50) :
“one death is a tragedy, but a million is a statistic,”
And if one does not view a single death as a tragedy, a million becomes a meaningless statistic. Sad day for a man, worse day for mankind.