Guest Article by Black Swan

Small and distant Norfolk Island, an Australian protectorate, located to the east of the Barrier Reef, and to the north-west of New Zealand is quietly rising to prominence in political circles, for it is now the testing ground for the worldwide implementation of the monitoring and restriction on the size of individuals’ carbon footprints.

First, a quick background to the media coverage:

“Southern Cross University is set to lead a project testing the world’s first Personal Carbon Trading program conducted in a ‘closed system’ island environment on Norfolk Island commencing early next year.”

This announcement was made in a Media Release from Australia’s Southern Cross University on 27th October 2010.

In Australia the Sydney Morning Herald published a story on the subject suggests that “If successful, it could improve the health of the residents as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The London Daily Telegraph also wrote the story with “During the trial, residents will use the card when they pay for petrol and power. Those who use fewer units by walking or cycling instead of driving or using less electricity at home, will be able to exchange any remaining credit at the end of the year for cash.”

The Australian Newspaper said; “it appears likely Norfolk Islanders, who pay no income tax and only a 12 per cent local GST, (Goods & Services Tax) will have to pay some Australian tax in exchange for access to a range of benefits such as family allowances, dole payments and Medicare. The federal government is expected to organise an immediate infusion of funds”.

So my friends, the story is now clear, the Norfolk Island residents “faced with an empty treasury, a collapsing tourism trade and mounting government debts” have sold their Birthright of Freedom in exchange for Welfare, Health Care and never-ending Taxes to be levied against them.

Norfolk is a small Pacific island with an independent Government but is a Protectorate of Australia. Who is the man who will oversee this “wonderful” plan? He is Professor Garry Egger of Southern Cross University, who has declared that;

Chronic disease is linked to climate change, Professor says – 18/03/20

Is this man, a Professor of Lifestyle Medicine and Applied Health Promotion, a man of Science or a Court Jester? Egger is being paid $390,000 for the three year “study”.

Thirty thousand Tourists a year (almost 100,000 from around the world) will be included in the Scam, er, Scheme and this is especially convenient. The Tourists involved – probably seeing their own Carbon Credit Card as a kind of Holiday Novelty may think “these Islanders are really Environmentally Conscientious ” – and off they go, back to their homes, and Acceptance will go with them – like the Ripples on a Pond.

According to Egger, it is intended to be introduced in Australia then the UK – what’s next? The European Union? North America? China? He said it was intended to go Global.

His jovial assertion that it will be “Fun” is especially ominous.

Small communities are often used to launch Products or Concepts – consider them to be Free Range Focus Groups – and as with all such groups, objections and dissatisfaction are duly noted (in this case by Egger), usually NOT to improve the product/concept, but to better fashion the Propaganda required to achieve maximum Market Acceptance. The people of Norfolk are ripe for the taking. With their Treasury virtually empty, living in a pristine environment, protective of their Island, wishing to be Environmentally “Responsible” and persuaded that their participation is “for the greater good” of the Planet, they will “give it a try” – no harm in it is there?

If this “harmless, fun holiday novelty” is NOT intended to ultimately become Compulsory (the only way it can achieve its Purpose) then why is its architect, the Professor of Lifestyle, flying halfway round the world to present his Concept to an International audience of Government Representatives, Climate Change activists and Journalists at Cancun Mexico?

However, this is only the beginning. In the second year THE HEALTH CARE COSTS of FOOD will be included. There are many facets of this carefully crafted and glittering Carbon Gem.

How can such Health Care Costs be measured?

It’s NOT about the fat/sugar/salt content of food. It’s about the Health Care Costs of the chronic diseases caused by fat/sugar/salt content of food and rising levels of Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and Obesity. As well as the costs of Medical and Hospital Care, does it include ongoing and expensive Medications from the Pharmaceutical Industry?

Will Consumers who DON’T suffer from those Chronic Diseases, when buying a certain type of food, be subsidizing the Health Care Costs of the people who DO suffer from them but don’t eat that type of food?

Will even healthy, conscientious people be forced to indirectly pay the high costs of Care and Treatment for those who suffer chronic disease through either poor choices or simple misfortune? This is in addition to ordinary taxes which support our Medical Systems.

These are very vexing Questions. They need to be asked AND they indeed DEMAND to be answered.

This Scheme is designed so that the Government will decide an Allocation of Carbon Use for each person. Each Individual’s Use will be tracked through the Carbon Credit Card. If a person exceeds his Permitted Allocation, he will be forced to pay for more. If he cannot afford to do so, he will not be permitted to buy a bus or an airline ticket, put gasoline in his car or buy electricity. Those who use less will be encouraged to “sell” their Allocation, Carbon Credits, to the wealthy.

The poor will become even more constricted by their circumstances.

The wealthy, who can afford to buy Government “permission”, will continue to live their extravagant lifestyles. The Government will determine which kinds of food you will be permitted to eat without penalty.

The Government will decide the SIZE of every Individual’s Carbon Footprint. The Government will decide what size Shoe will fit that footprint. The Government will ultimately give every Individual Carbon Footprint an annual Government Pedicure.

“Over time the number of carbon units handed out on the cards will go down, forcing individuals to work harder to maintain a low-carbon lifestyle.”

The ultimate design of this Scheme is very clear in the original Media Release. Is this the future any Citizens of any Nation want to see for themselves and their children? I sincerely trust that it is not.