Here's the story the Post-Courier refuses to run

BY KEITH JACKSON

OBSERVERS OF the media in PNG are scratching their heads and wondering what the link is between carbon trader Kirk Roberts and the Post-Courier newspaper.

It’s not just that the Post-Courier runs stories favourable to Mr Roberts’ activities. Of real concern is the newspaper’s apparent refusal to publish stories that question his activities, even when they are backed up by the PNG Government.

PNG Attitude has been told by a reliable source that a Post-Courier editor has been quizzed on this seeming lack of fairness and balance in its coverage, but brusquely fobbed off  questions and criticism of what seems like a badly flawed editorial policy.

Earlier this week the PNG Forest Authority placed an advertisement in the Post-Courier which announced that Roberts’ ‘carbon trading’ activities were under investigation.

Just two days later the Post-Courier ran another uncritical front-page story, which one reader described as “a ridiculous and nonsensical pro-Roberts piece”.

Anyway, thanks to Sky News which did manage to pick up the story, here it is:

'Carbon cowboy' in PNG legal spat

Australia's self-proclaimed 'carbon kingpin' Kirk Roberts is being investigated by a PNG government agency for allegedly misleading villagers in deals he hopes will net millions.

Mr Roberts, a former disqualified Australian horse trainer who also ran a Philippines cock-fighting business, once said he was 'the most beneficial foreigner' for PNG and has travelled across the country promoting carbon trading.

Mr Roberts shrugs off widespread criticisms and is adamant he represents numerous landowner groups who want lucrative carbon projects developed under a voluntary system.

But PNG authorities are worried Mr Roberts is undermining existing forestry laws, possibly misleading landowners in remote areas all while exploiting PNG's lack of national carbon trade legislation and policy.

East Pangia, in PNG's rugged Southern Highlands region, is the latest focus of various conflicting opinions that have flared as Mr Roberts promises what many villagers call 'sky money' - because he appears to be selling air.

PNG's Forest Authority managing director, Kanawi Pouru, has taken out a newspaper advertisement reminding Mr Roberts and landowners that East Pangia has already been allocated for logging.

Mr Pouru told AAP the Forest Management Agreement was one of 10 agreed projects identified for development by PNG's government in 2002.

'Roberts' operation obviously raises concerns for us,' he said.

'Our lawyers believe we have grounds to proceed against any moves that prevent an already existing forest plan.

'A commercial agreement with landowners has been entered.

'They can't sign rights away then reassign them to someone else like Roberts.

'We are not against carbon trading but we are being cautious because there is still a very high risk involved and so many rules that have not been sorted out.

'We need to understand the business first.'

The East Pangia FMA still existed and the logging operation would commence as soon as the agreement was executed next month, Mr Pouru said.

'(Mr Roberts) is being investigated and will be dealt with accordingly,' he said.

Last week Mr Roberts was in East Pangia mapping out a carbon project.

He did not answer (emailed) questions regarding the landowner's sudden switch from forestry to carbon trading, or the scientific credibility of his team.

Kuson Waku, a local landowner representative, told PNG's Post Courier newspaper: 'I want to benefit from all the forest.'

The story, supporting Mr Roberts' carbon trading plan, was accompanied by a photo of two locals each holding dead bush rats and tree kangaroos, with a possible implication that wildlife was under threat from logging.

PNG's Department of Environment and Conservation, Environment Ministry, NGOs and the environmental-law community have all raised concerns about Mr Roberts.

But Mr Roberts is no stranger to controversy.

Last year he was linked to the sacking of a top official after receiving dubious 'sample' carbon credit documents. And Mr Robert's company Nupan is tied to an ongoing government investigation of PNG's embattled, mismanaged and now bankrupt Office of Climate Change.

Adelaide-based company Carbon Planet, eyeing a potential billion dollar carbon trading market, in 2008 gave Mr Roberts $1.1 million for projects in PNG but now refuses to comment on their relationship with him.

In December last year, Carbon Planet's founder and chief operating officer Dave Sag walked out of an SBS television interview when asked about Mr Roberts and their PNG deals.

Comments

[Robin Lillicrapp]

Carbon Cowboy, Kirk Roberts, appeared on "radar" again today taking a swipe at his competitors -

"Kirk Roberts and Nupan take aim at Kevin Conrad - It has been commented that you promise millions in funding from other countries, yet these same countries have put PNG on the lowest priority. The UNFCCC now admits that it is unlikely to see anything from REDD or REDD+ until 2020, let alone a correct mechanism that is supported by all Nations.”

So I would pose the question, If REDD+ is unlikely to generate allocatable revenues till 2020, does not that indicate funding is as unlikely for one party as the other.

Sounds very much like two roosters vying for dominance in the barnyard, each thinking it is his property, while the owner looks on somewhat bemused at the squabbling feathered fiends.

[Paul Oates]

I'm amazed that Mr Geenie Cap and his stated mate Tim, can't see the logic of what is being discussed? PNG people have been misled by false claims of get rich quick schemes since they first became aware that there were better material goods than they could locally produce. That is nothing new to people in general as the original South Seas Bubble demonstrates. Charlatans exist in every community. If Kirk Roberts has a legitimate and properly set up business that will demonstrably benefit PNG forest owners, he should come clean and present the details. That would effectively provide credibility to his operations and silence his critics. That he chooses to hide behind a stated 'Commercial in Confidence' smokescreen only justifies the view that his scheme is of a dubious nature. When his 'nom de plume' sycophants then try to justify Robert's bona fides with sarcasm and vitriol, they only succeed in shooting themselves in the foot.

It's about time that the PNG government legislated to protect their people and remove this loophole of opportunity. It's also about time that people throughout the world woke up and actually looked at the merits of carbon trading. People need to start thinking about what they are being asked to accept and who will benefit and who will lose. Ignorance is no excuse if you have access to the available information. PNG forest owners may not have access to all the information about the carbon trading and may therefore be an easy target. The same should not be the case with Australians and yet look at the Qantas 'green fares' scheme that was recently exposed as a fraud. Where is the information about the 'green levy on electricity for example?

'Caveat emptor' (Buyer beware) was never more important than it is with this subject.

[Greenie Cap]

Shooting from the hip again Phil,

and its becoming a good laugh,
you will be suprised who I am.
All though if it wasn't for Tim and myself you would be only talking to your selves like chooks in a hen house.
Oh by the way when Tim gets back you will be able to debate with him over distrubution of funds , but really what business is of anyone elses.
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This comment has been left unedited as it reflects so adversely on the commenter - KJ

[Phil Fitzpatrick]

Greenie Cap aka Tim aka Roberts?

[Greenie Cap]

Regarding Pan Meroi, Kirk Roberts would like to remind you that he was a winning Group 1 horse trainer, being the first Australian trainer to travel to New Zealand and win the Auckland Cup 3200m 1997.

He continued to be a group winning trainer throughout the east coast of Australia for some years after.

He believes that he had reached the highest level and had seen all the highs and lows of the industry and knows he is repected by Australians for being a horse man.

The sensational media coverage of a personal conflict with a racing offical, which was a positive for other trainers and was a wee conviction, is not the conclusion of Roberts' racing career, as he plans to retire and then take up the reins.

The media promoted 'disqualification' means for a six month period. It does not mean forever. Roberts will apply in due time and, despite what is commented, will retain a private licence to train as an owner trainer.

Four years after Roberts' disqualification, an apprentice jockey he had trained was killed in a race, as a close friend of his family, who are a racing family, Roberts drove overnight and took control of the father's stable of 50 horses, keeping the strict training and managament.

He prepared the horses with the help of local families. Two horses were nominated for Sydney, then were trucked from Melbourne, the first horse won at 40-1 the second was second at 16-1 at Randwick.

As a horse trainer Australians will assure you he is far from a failure.
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Despite earlier editorialising that we would not publish anonymous articles on this matter, 'Greenie Cap' is such an informed source on Mr Roberts that we believe he may be none other than Mr Roberts himself.

We also publish the comment for reasons of fairness and balance - KJ

[Phil Fitzpatrick]

I know the Forest Authority actively promotes logging and I'm not shooting from the hip in that regard.

It would be interesting to see how companies like RH view Roberts' activities. Maybe it will come down to who pays the biggest bribe.

There is obviously potential for conflict that will inevitably confuse the landowners even further.

Judging by the comments from the Papua New Guineans on the blog, there is a real concern about both logging and carbon trading.

Flying over the logged areas of Gulf and Western Provinces is heartbreaking and it is time to stop.

A genuine carbon trading scheme, with all the appropriate regulations and safeguards, might help but it unfortunately seems to be a honeypot for carpetbaggers and shonks at the moment.

[Pan Meroi]

I think the PNG Forest Authority had all the time in the world to negotiate with landowners and developers to get on with business. However it now seems that these two different business investments (carbon trading and logging) are considering at the wrong place at the wrong time.

From all the comments and newspaper reports, I see that the "failed horse trainer" from down south is here in PNG to train the local illiterates in "carbon trading".

I absolutely have no idea whether he's been in this carbon trading business before. Maybe Nupon (PNG) Ltd is trying to do a trial and error investment in East Pangia and other parts of the country,

PNG is watching, so better outline your investment benefits.

"Sky Money" is dream money ... carbon trading investment is going to be an invisible business. Developers or investors are not known to the resource owners. Where will they take their grievances to?

We have to have a respect for these illiterates and their forest in East Pangia.

I suggest that Roberts' henchman "Tim" avoid Roberts because he is a FAILURE in his profession and now his taking up carbon trading to attain a new life.

Giving Power of Attorney to a failed trainer is a mystery. I hope the people of East Pangia are regretting.

Thanks to local MP, Hon Peter O'Neil, SHP Governor, Mr Anderson Agiru, Hon Patrick Pruaitch and Hon Bleden Namah for the blessings.

[Elisha Tanele]

I believe it every land owner's right on how his resources are to be developed. To my experience, many logging operations only get what they want then leave the land owners confused and left with nothing when all the timber is harvested. I beth the East Pangias will be left high and dry after their trees are cut down with no services. Better to migrate to POM, Hagen, Lae, Goroka etc. My people are already victim to the Foerstry and Government approve logging projects.

Just let your trees live and cultivate the land. What will the logging companies provide if the present Government cannot deliver any service? Sorry tru long ol countrymen blo mi.

[Greenie Cap]

Forestry do not have any say on what or which forest is logged.

Legislated regarding is another dream only monitoring will protect the forests and the way the people manage them.
Tim is a person and I can assure you he is one person you would want left with you in the trenches.

Shooting from the hip Phil.
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PNG Attitude prefers not to publish anonymous comments unless there is some good reason to do so. We note that people defending the actions of 'carbon traders' in PNG frequently do so anonymously, and regard this as an indication that the commenter is connected to a company engaged in 'carbon trading'.

We have allowed the foregoing comment to stand in the interests of balanced debate, but shall not publish further anonymous comments on this matter - KJ

[Phil Fitzpatrick]

I can see where the Forest Authority is coming from - they don't want Roberts tying up forests that they want to log. I'm not sure what a traditional forest owner would do if they were in receipt of carbon trading credit money (legitimate or otherwise)and a logger came along and wanted to buy their timber, probably sell it again? How on earth is the government going to stop that happening if the understanding of the scheme is not yet legislated and is so confusing anyway? It's probably the same old story, everyone falling over themselves to make a quick buck and bugger the ramifications.

There is an interesting debate on Emmanuel Narakobi's Masalai blog involving a bloke called 'Tim', who I suspect is probably Roberts or one of his henchmen, which shows clearly how greedy (and illiterate) these nutters are and how little they care for PNG except as a milch cow.