My Letter to Robert Oakeshott, Independent MP

After the tight Australian Federal Election result, it is more than likely that 3 (possibly 4) independent elected members of Parliament will figure largely in the configuration of the new Government. Issues such as “climate change action” and internet censorship may well be key to the discussions these men hold with both major parties, and public statements from at least one of the Independents – Robert Oakeshott – are that an emissions trading scheme would be “a priority” to him (22 August 2010, Herald Sun). Please e-mail Robert and/or any of the independents involved in these negotiations with your concerns and thoughts on the situation:

Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, NSW): robert.oakeshott.mp@aph.gov.au
Tony Windsor (New England, NSW): Tony.Windsor.MP@aph.gov.au
Bob Katter (Kennedy, QLD): bobkatter@gmail.com
Andrew Wilkie* (Denison, TAS): wilkie.andrew@bigpond.com
* Probable – see latest vote count.

Read my letter below and feel free to grab ideas and links from it.

Hello Robert,

I appreciate that you would be endlessly communicating with people all over Australia, so may I just congratulate you on your re-election as the member for Lyne and list 5 points with references for your consideration, largely in response to your focus on combating apparent climate change as I read about here:

http://www.roboakeshott.com/node/527 (November 2009)
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/emissions-trading-scheme-is-my-priority-rob-oakeshott-says/story-fn5ko0pw-1225908483106 (August 22nd, 2010)

1)         You say you’re happy providing anyone the “relevant documents” regarding human-based influence on the climate if they have their doubts. I would certainly appreciate being provided with that, and I’ll offer some of my proof as to why I’m sceptical of your point of view:

The Sceptics Handbook: http://joannenova.com.au/global-warming/
The weather stations can’t be trusted: http://surfacestations.org
Former NASA Scientist Dr. Roy Spencer’s thoughts & satellite tempreture stations:

Global Warming

31 500 scientists don’t accept your point of view:
http://petitionproject.org
CLIMATEGATE: The Mother of all Scientific Scandals:
(did you hear about this when encouraging the implementation of an ETS last November?)

“On November 19, 2009, climate science was severely shaken by the release of a collection of email messages, together with a collection of data and data processing programs, that were hacked or revealed by a whistle blower from the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit (CRU), one of the key centers of global warming research. These emails and text files have been the subject of intense debate, calling to question assumptions on anthropogenic (man-made) global warming.”

From: http://www.climate-gate.org

Also see:

Climategate: hide the decline – codified

Climategate

Other related scandals

Legal verdict: Manmade global warming science doesn’t withstand scrutiny
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2010/06/06/legal-verdict-manmade-global-warming-science-doesn%E2%80%99t-withstand-scrutiny

India Says it “Cannot Rely” on Biased UN Climate Panel, Forms National Institute of Himalayan Glaciology
http://www.dailytech.com/India%20Says%20it%20Cannot%20Rely%20on%20Biased%20UN%20Climate%20Panel%20Forms%20National%20Institute%20of%20Himalayan%20Glaciology/article17621.htm

The IPCC consensus on climate change was phoney, says IPCC insider
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/06/13/the-ipcc-consensus-on-climate-change-was-phoney-says-ipcc-insider

9 lies of Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth” – as decided on by a Judge
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3310137/Al-Gores-nine-Inconvenient-Untruths.html

UN wrongly linked global warming to natural disasters
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7000063.ece

Expert report says claims of livestock causing global warming are false
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/100031389/now-its-cowgate-expert-report-says-claims-of-livestock-causing-global-warming-are-false/

“NOAA Satellite failure means decade of Global Warming data doubtful” (August 11, 2010)
http://www.climatechangefraud.com/climate-reports/7491-official-satellite-failure-means-decade-of-global-warming-data-doubtful
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/26603

Even the head scientist of the IPCC Phil Jones says: “There’s been no warming since 1995”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1250872/Climategate-U-turn-Astonishment-scientist-centre-global-warming-email-row-admits-data-organised.html

So what exactly is it that you’ll be sending me that completely outweights all of this and more..?

2)   You say: “I would personally say, let’s go back to the Garnaut report and try and get something through based on that. The template is there, stick to the script, keep it simple.” Garnaut however, appears accepting of the fact that Australia acting alone would be pointless:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/garnaut-warns-dont-go-alone/story-e6frg976-1111118250254

He also accepts that a global recession is not a “good time for good policy”
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/might-be-best-to-dump-ets-says-garnaut/story-e6frea8c-1225699388402

Accepting these two points as fact, why would you, and for that matter the next Parliament of Australia, be so hell bent on an ETS? We’re not out of that global recession yet by any means, are we Robert..? Or would that also depend on whether “Garnaut says so”?

3)         An ETS would be so open to manipulation I’m surprised anyone who wants to see People before Profits would support it. I personally have been to the Walk Against Warming community events (http://www.walkagainstwarming.org) and there was far from a consensus amongst those who believe the man-made global warming theory on any sort of a carbon price/trading scheme, and after speaking to my group of friends and myself, some were even in more doubt about it being a worthwhile venture in achieving carbon emission reduction. Lets have a look at how it has gone in Europe in regards to corruption in their trading scheme:

[The flyer I handed out at the Walk Against Warming] http://wearechangewa.com/downloads/documents/pdf/Flyers—We.Are.Change—ClimateGate.pdf

“Denmark rife with CO2 fraud”
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/47643-denmark-rife-with-co2-fraud.html

“Hackers hit Europe’s Carbon Market”

“Carbon Permit Tax Fraud Drove Huge Increases in Market Volume, Report Finds”

“Europol: $7.4 Billion Lost from Carbon Trading Fraud in Europe,” 10 December 2010

“U.K. Arrests 22 as CO2 Tax Probe Widens in Europe,” 30 April 2010
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-30/u-k-arrests-22-as-co2-tax-probe-widens-in-europe-update2-.html

“The great carbon credit con: Why are we paying the Third World to poison its environment?”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1188937/The-great-carbon-credit-eco-companies-causing-pollution.html

4)         The Greens suggestion for climate change action are the most extreme out there, of course. What many are not aware of is the Global Governance agenda behind the talk. Please read the Greens “Global Governance” policy off their website: http://greens.org.au/policies/human-rights-democracy/global-governance

They also have related Global Governance measures in their other economic policies, such as:

15.  At the international level, support the implementation of a currency transaction tax (Tobin Tax) to discourage global currency speculation and to provide an independent tax base for international institutions.

24.  establish mechanisms to prevent the debt crisis from recurring, such as introducing the potential for penalties for surplus as well as debtor nations.

From: http://greens.org.au/policies/sustainable-economy/global-economics

5)      This is an agenda backed up by the United Nations, as seen at the Copenhagen Summit and announcements since:

“A deal must include an equitable global governance structure. All countries must have a voice in how resources are deployed and managed. That is how trust will be built.”

The 4th benchmark for success at Copenhagen of UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon writing for the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/opinion/26iht-edban.html?_r=4

Copenhagen Accord Establishes Global Government Framework:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/copenhagen-accord-establishes-global-government-framework.html

Leaked UN Documents reveal plan for “Green World Order” by 2012:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/leaked-un-documents-reveal-plan-for-green-world-order-by-2012.html

So do you understand what’s at stake here negotiating favourably with the Greens and for a carbon reduction agenda? The erosion of Australian sovereignty. The Liberals aren’t totally against a carbon tax or trading system but in the position you’re in, you can influence the possibility of it in any future Government structure. Consider your position and possible assumptions carefully, because initial indications show you’re being led down the Greens Garden Path…

I have a book called “The past and future of Climate” by Professor David Archibald along with DVDs to send you if you’d like.

Regards,
________________

Beau Woods – Senate Candidate (WA) for The Climate Sceptics Party

From: http://climatesceptics.com.au

Born: Perth, Australia, 1983
Education: Narrogin Senior High School
Murdoch University

Qualifications: B.Sc(Chiro) B.Chiro, Bachelor of Commerce (Management)

Employment: 4 years self employed as a chiropractor in both rural and metro Western Australia.

Faced with the constant barrage of Global Warming propaganda, Australians can be forgiven for thinking ‘the science is settled’, ‘climate change is real’ and the existence of a ‘scientific consensus’ with the only solution….wait for it…more tax of course. Most Australians (myself included previously) don’t have the time to investigate the issues and as such we have allowed the extreme green left to control the discourse. The encouragement of critical thinking is something sadly lacking from our democracy, but it is my hope that my involvement with The Climate Sceptics will stimulate debate and critical evaluation of this issue by the people of Western Australia.

The Australian Senate was designed by our founding fathers to be a house of review, where each state elected an equal number of senators who would represent the best interests of their state. This is no longer the case. The senate is a house of rubber stamps, where senators rarely cross the floor and are controlled by faceless power-brokers. If elected, I will represent the best interests of West Australians first and foremost. A carbon tax would not be in West Australia’s interest as it is a tax on economic output and ultimately will cost jobs.

WeAreChange Western Australia endorses Beau Woods (The Climate Sceptics Party) as a Federal Senate Candidate for WA. Find him on your white Upper House voting ballot paper this Federal Election, August 21st.

Senator Ludlam: “The time for Australians to stand up is right now, and we are standing up.”

This article originally posted at Stop the Filter.org.

By Andrew Middleton, House of Representatives Petition Coordinator

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam (pictured, image credit: David Howe) has given a conclusive rebuttal to comments made by the Labor Government’s Communications Minister Stephen Conroy on the Four Corners documentary, Access Denied, aired on the 10th of May, 2010. The documentary, still viewable online at ABC iView, reveals how an apparently well meaning attempt by [the Australian] government to protect children from video nasties on the net turned into a policy that critics say promotes censorship and reduces personal freedom.

During the documentary, the Communications Minister has the following pledge to the Australian public:

“If a majority of the Parliament in the future want to broaden the classification – meaning of material caught by the filter – well then, Australians should stand up and say ‘just a minute’, and I’ll be one of them.”

To which Senator Ludlam quoted and responded to, just two days later in the Senate:

“Of course, by that time it will be too late. That is the future of this filter: a majority of a future parliament, probably under pressure of some kind of moral panic-whatever that may be-broadening the filter to include a larger scope of banned material and Stephen Conroy standing there in the minority, saying, ‘Just a minute,’ shortly before losing the vote. Once the architecture is in place, the idea that future governments will not be tempted to expand its scope is impossible to entertain. The reasons are technical, as well as political.”

(Senator Ludlam’s full statement in the Senate can be read in transcript, or viewed as film)

This is an important distinction made by Senator Ludlam in why he opposes the mandatory ISP filtering plan, and it’s one that all reading this should consider carefully. Later in the Parliamentary statement, the Senator had this important message relating to Mr. Conroy’s pledge, which is worth emphasising:

“In terms of the minister’s comments about people standing up and saying no if future governments proposed to increase the scope, and saying that that would be the time for Australians to stand up: the time for Australians to stand up is right now, and we are standing up.“

Scott Ludlam has good authority to speak as an Australian standing up on the issue of the Labor Govnerment’s mandatory web filtering proposal, having attended and spoke at both the December 2008 and March 2010 rallys held in Perth which were aimed at informing the public and expressing opposition to the proposal. Scott also regularly asks questions and makes statements in Parliamentary Question Time and Senate Hearing about the matter, along with making public statements on his blog and taking media interviews, as he happened to yesterday on the ABC’s Triple J program Hack.

Scott’s message to Australians in his May 12 Senate statement pre-empted the May 22nd National Day of Action, which occured in 3 locations around Australia on both sides of the continent. The campaign for these Days of Action were driven by the official anti-censorship paper petition addressed to the House of Representatives, which now has around 6500-7000 signatures penned in total with 4400 already received by Principal Petitioner Melissa Short. It will be presented to the House of Representatives and put on the public Hansard record on the 21st of June, 2010 with the  Australian Petitions Committee accepting signatures no later than the 11th of June, 2010. With this recent extended submission deadline, the decision has been made to ask concerned and active Australians to continue gathering signatures, and for them to be mailed to Melissa no later than Tuesday, the 8th of June. The earlier sent the better, so they can be checked & counted before submission.

Review of the May 22nd Day of Action

BRISBANE

The Brisbane Day of Action was the most successful from the day in terms of petition signatures, with a massive 461 signatures acquired in just 3 hours. The Sunshine State delivered a beautiful day for Mel Short, Matt Anderson, Tim Hunt, Gregor, Ben, Eris, Fritz, Shonika, & Warrick to setup tables, petitions, and paraphenalia at Central Station, Brisbane, and ask the public passing by if they’re aware of the Government’s proposal, and if they’d like to sign the petition. The last person mentioned in that list, Warrick Fraser, edited the following video from the Day of Action in Brisbane and many thanks to him for doing so:

Warrick was also good enough to take some photos on the day too. Here he is on the video camera:

Table setup with petitions and information sheets:

Josh Meney’s “Censor This!” poster displayed:

A big thanks must also go to Matt Anderson for funding the printed poster and the table, and generally putting in a big effort in organising and promoting the Event.

MELBOURNE

In Federation Square, Melbourne, a fascinating piece of street theatre was carried out by Nicolas Wheeler:

Nicolas was shortly asked to move on by the Victorian State police and did so, but this photograph is testament to a statement made about the inevitable possibility of legal freedoms being reduced under the mandatory ISP filter. There is video footage of the moving on of the display and attempted interview with Nic by media crew below. Afterwards, Nicolas was joined by other activists to gain petition signatures, and in all nearly 200 were gathered. A super effort and many thanks, Nick and co.!

PERTH

Despite the inclement weather overnight leading into the Saturday, Petition Coordinator Andrew Middleton, Julian, and Daniel Kruppa still managed to find a couple of hours in the afternoon to campaign for petition signatures out the front of Fremantle Town Hall. 37 signatures were garnered from the sparse Fremantle crowd, with many viabrant conversations being had with people from all walks of life. Those who were aware of the issue, had a good understanding of the problems associated with the proposed mandatory ISP filtering plan which was pleasing. In particular, an exchange with an English tourist, who despite not caring what happened in this country, was eventually turned around to signing the petition after agreeing with us that what occurs in our political landscape is highly likely to effect England’s political landscape, and vice-versa.

Next two Saturday’s complete Trifecta of Days of Action

In keeping with Scott Ludlam’s urgings for Australians to stand up, locations this Saturday and next Saturday (May 29th, June 5th) around Australia will again have grassroots activists present with petitions in hand, and the more people & signatures the better. So if you’re interested in just coming down and signing the petition, joining a posted location below and help get more signatures, or starting an Action in your local area that you’d like promoting on this website and/or on social networking sites, please take note of the location details posted below and get in contact with the following organisers!

PRINCIPAL PETITIONER & BRISBANE ORGANISER:
Melissa Short

SEE PETITION CAMPAIGNING IN BRISBANE ON THE 6TH OF JUNE, IN THIS SHORT VIDEO:

Meetup.com Calander page:
http://www.meetup.com/WeAreChangeBrisbane/calendar/13669591/

ARTICLE AUTHOR, PETITION COORDINATOR & PERTH ORGANISER:
Andrew Middleton, wearechangewa@hotmail.com

Where: Outside the entrance to the Alexander Library, Perth Cultural Center (25 Francis Street, Perth)
When: Saturday, June 5, 11:30am – 2pm
Bring: Copies of the 14-box petition, available here. A clipboard and a pen (black or blue)

Facebook Event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125091344181741

Posted links on this article: (in order of appearance)

1. 10 May 2010: Access Denied, ABC "Four Corners" documentary still viewable online at ABC iView

2. 12 May 2010: Senator Ludlam's full statement to the Senate can be read in transcript, or viewed as film

3. December 2008 and March 2010 Perth rallys against internet censorship

4. 3 May 2010: Senate answers shed some more light on filter, Electronic Frontiers Australia

5. 26 May 2010: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Net Filtering, Senator Scott Ludlam

6. 25 May 2010: Senator Ludlam interview on the Hack program, ABC Radio

7. Ongoing until June: Official anti-censorship paper petition addressed to the House of Representatives homepage

8. 22 May 2010: Video footage of Brisbane's Day of Action

9. Ongoing until June: Official anti-censorship paper petition addressed to the House of Representatives printout

10. April 2010: "Censor This!" poster produced by Josh Meney

11. 22 May 2010, Federation Square Melbourne: Internet Censorship Strangles Freedom video

12. 6 June 2010: Anti-Internet Censorship Petition Campaigning Video - Fortitude Valley Mall, Brisbane

13. 30 May 2010: Meetup.com calander post for Brisbane's Day of Action this Saturday Sunday

14. 5 June 2010: Facebook Event page for Perth's Day of Action this Saturday.

The personal views, beliefs and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and opinions of “Stop the Filter” or “WeAreChange Western Australia” as a whole.

TEAR DOWN THE (FIRE)WALL!!!

By Andrew Middleton

A parody of Pink Floyd’s masterpiece, The Trial:

The Crown will plainly show

The prisoner who now stands before you,

Was caught red-handed searching websites…

Searching websites of an almost “inappropriate” nature!

This will not do…

As was first announced way back in 2007 and quickly dubbed “the Great Australian Firewall,” the Australian Government – with the support of certain minor parties & independents – is going ahead with plans to mandatorily filter the internet for all Australians to exclude “inappropriate” material, or what has now been refined to as “refused classification” content. This disturbing development positions Australia on the World stage as following in the footsteps of countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Iran, and Cuba, in mandatorily limiting the content its citizens can view on the internet. Examples from those countries show filtered material to often include political content not favourable towards the political establishment. Of course, whichever the country, whatever the political system:

Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

View Labor’s Minister for Broadband, Communications, & the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy’s Media Release on the matter here.

The WeAreChange movement opposes and resists internet censorship around the World, just as internet censorship is being planned or implemented around the World. Here is a World map displaying roughly the different levels of internet censorship implemented, recent to mid-2009:

Australians – just like citizens of all “developed,” or “Western” nations – have seen over the past decade (or so) previously sacrosanct freedoms and rights be diminished and Government size, spending, and control increase in an emerging new world order. It could be said Australia’s blushes are somewhat spared by the fact measures to limit internet freedom are also being proposed by the Governments’ of our “close allies,” the United States & the United Kingdom. But none of the citizens in these countries have their access to the greatest tool of resistance to the new world order – the Free Internet – in as grave and imminent danger to fall under Government control and be restricted Chinese-style, as Australians do. So we call out to you, Australian citizens, to stand up for your country, to stand up for your own independence from Government, and to stand up for our and future generations ability to access a Free Internet, in this hour of great necessity and great change. In this way, we can be a real leader on the World stage.

Matthew Bellamy, Frontman of the world-wide acclaimed & chart topping progressive rock band MUSE:

“History fascinates me. Politics fascinates me. And the potential of the internet absolutely amazes me. Ever since I was a kid I’ve questioned why the world is the way that it is. Who’s in charge? Who makes things happen? I’ve read enough in the past couple of years to believe that we are due for great change. I think the internet will be the means of that change.”

(Source: “Leading the Resistance,” The National Newspaper. 17 September 2009)

Thankfully, many Australians are already standing up. We are very grateful for the work done on the East Coast of our beautiful country, to set up a petition against this measure that, if filled out correctly, will be submissible to Federal Parliament (unlike the widely circulated online petition against internet censorship, see below). Please read more and download the petition here:

http://www.thecrowhouse.com/savethenet.html

______________________________________________________

From the site. Due to the governments plan to go ahead with imposing compulsory internet censorship on every Australian despite heavy opposition whether it be from the public or experts or businesses or online gamers, we are being ignored, this petition has been prepared, and will be tabled in Parliament to officially express our condemnation of the forthcoming legislation that imposes and infringes on our human rights and effects every user’s experience online.

Every signatures counts, as a democratic country we have the right and therefore the responsibility to resist censorship. Please let me know if you are planning on collecting a large amount of signatures, please email me and introduce yourself, there may also be others I can connect you with in your area that are also passionate about helping to collect signatures for the petition.

Melissa Short
Melsy29@live.com.au

To sign this petition, please click below to download and print out, there is room for up to 4 signatures. The mailing address is on the petition.

Download Petition Version 1

To sign the petition and help collect other peoples signatures, please click below to download and print out, there is room for up to 14 signatures. The mailing address is on the petition. (For more than 14 signatures, print the page several times)

Download Petition Version 2

This petition has been prepared inline with the House of representative rules and is in compliance with the standing orders that apply to petitions.

The House does not accept petitions in electronic form and petitions must be on paper.

Each signature on the petition must be made by the person signing in his or her own handwriting.

Every signature must be written on a page bearing the request part of the terms of the petition.

Signatures must not be copied, pasted or transferred onto the petition.

______________________________________________________

Please direct all enquires you have about the nature, wording, and format of the petition to Melissa Short (Melsy29@live.com.au).

In acquiring signatures for this petition, we urge you to follow the guidelines and rules set above and to keep the petition signatures and pages as clear and clean as possible. Not doing so, just slightly, may make a page or pages not submissible. So please make sure you’re clear to the person signing the petition what is required of them, and I’d use a pen, not pencil. Submission date is not as yet set, but we will not have long into February before needing to put them in the post as it’s early February when Federal Parliament resumes. So please print this petition out now and get asking for people’s signatures, even if you can only get your family to sign it, that will do! WeAreChange Western Australia will be happy to receive your completed forms and cover the costs of sending them back over east as one whole bunch (contact us about that: wearechangewa@hotmail.com).

Some ideas for places where to post the petition and to bring awareness to this issue are politicians & political parties (tips on writing to Ministers. If you feel up to it please try), mainstream & alternative radio (please mention the petition!), community noticeboards, universities, internet cafes, and of course, Australia Day events (there’s one such event planned in Queensland). Please discuss ideas regarding this petition and resisting the internet filter on our Forum here: http://www.wearechangewa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=335

An update on the nationally planned protests against the mandatory internet filter, they have been rescheduled for the 6th of March, 2010. You can see the reasoning given here. However, WeAreChange Western Australia will announce shortly a Truth Action to garner signatures for the petition and spread awareness about this issue. Keep up-to-date with the latest news, meetups & events relating to WeAreChange WA via the Forums: http://www.wearechangewa.com/forums

Latest news, the Australian Government officially opens its new Cyber Security Operations Centre, and there is a Labor Party Senator AGAINST a mandatory internet filter! That being, Kate Lundy. Check out the article here (free registration required to read whole article), and e-mail Kate Lundy here: senator.lundy@aph.gov.au