With farmers marching on Parliament House in Canberra in support of farmer Peter Spencer on Monday, the NSW Farmers’ Association has called on the Federal Government to initiate an investigation into the science behind climate change.
NSW Farmers’ Association President Charles Armstrong said the agricultural sector is already being severely impacted by ill-considered laws.
“The ban on the development of farming land is impacting on the livelihood of farmers and their ability to supply the food required to meet growing global demand,” Mr Armstrong said.
“This ban has directly affected people such as Mr Spencer,” he said.
The Association continues to support its Members through legal opinions on various laws and initiating or supporting particular actions in Court.
The NSW Farmers’ Association with the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and the Australian Farmers Fighting Fund have supported Mr Spencer financially in his legal action on this issue.
The Association with NFF also achieved major amendments to the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture’s position in their Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
“Farmers should not be carrying the burden of Australia’s carbon reduction ambitions. We are continuing our call for a Royal Commission into the science that is driving the Government’s policies on climate change.
“The many farmers heading to Canberra will illustrate to the Federal Government the importance of ensuring that the agricultural sector does not continue to bear the brunt of any climate change legislation.
“The need for an inquiry into the science, impacts and feasibility of these policies is patent,” Mr Armstrong concluded.
More than 40 days
Peter Spencer is now in the 45th day of his hunger strike in protest against the Commonwealth stealthily acquired the benefit from vegetation on his and other Australian farmer’s private property to meet it’s Kyoto Protocol Treaty commitments with no payment to the affected farmers.
“Dad has clearly lost a significant amount of weight” his daughter, Sarah Spencer, told SOS news on Saturday.
“He still appears to be oriented and focussed, he remains determined to continue his protest”.
According to SOS news, Sydney and regional talkback radio is running hot in Mr. Spencer’s favor, including a long session on New Years eve, during which a number of farmers from all over NSW and Queensland affected by the stripping of their property rights, rang in and told their stories about the real stress they and their families are enduring.
Meanwhile, the Coo-ee Drive on Monday has been called, a reprise of the world famous Coo-ee Gilgandra Route March to Sydney of 1915.
Busloads of supporters were expected from all over the state including from Lismore, the Nyngan-Tottenham area, with buses from Inverall and Coffs Harbour which will pick up supporters from Port Macquarie, Taree, Hexham, Maitland and Muswellbrook. Supporters were also expected from western NSW, Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and southern NSW.
The supporters planned to march to Parliament House and the Lodge.
Afterwards, a second rally was planned for the ‘Tower of Hope’, on Peter’s property “Saarahnlee”, Shannon’s Flat.
