It’s great to see a few letters pondering the writings of Viv Forbes. There does seem to be a credibility problem with his frequent outpourings, but I’m happy to say I can shed a little light on things for your readers.
Firstly to Jo Leoni, Viv Forbes is a man. Secondly to Zena Kells, Viv Forbes blankets newpapers and websites across the country with his questionable opinions and concepts. Down here in Tamworth, valuable column space is taken up also. You may or may not see him walking about your town, so taking him up face to face on the nature of his “love of coal’ ideologies probably isn’t on the cards. Oh well….
But here the real crux of the situation – Viv Forbes is coal industry lobbyist, official or otherwise. He is on the board of Queensland’s Stanmore Coal. He is a geologist, a mineral economist and a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy – a very particular set of credentials. He also considers himself a “political gadfly’.
He isn’t much of a “political gadfly’ in my books at any rate. His letter in the same issue – Wednesday, April 18, 2012 – is a nonsensical mish-mash of pro-carbon claptrap. Just like every example of his writing I’ve encountered thus far. If you need some more proof, just search on the net. You’ll build a clear picture of Mr Forbes that way.
I’m glad to see there are some thinking people in Armidale. I salute you.
Leigh Ivin,
Tamworth
