Funnily enough, there is a linguistic issue here. In British English, "scheme" does not necessarily carry negative connotations, as in "pension scheme". However, in the United States, "pension scheme" is regarded as similar to "scam", so at work I have to refer to "pension plan", instead, given that many of my of my colleagues are American and I have to write about such issues from time to time.

Of course, some would say that "social security schemes" are in fact, Ponzi scams.

Here in Northamptonshire British English (in this respect) is not that different from American English.

If a person or organization said "listen to my scheme" it would be supposed that the person was either explaining a con, or had gone mad.

It is much the same as "planning", since at least "Ordeal Under Planning" by John Jewkes in the 1940's people have come to understand that at least a government "plan" is a blueprint for chaos.

Progress comes from people getting on with what they are good at - not in inventing schemes and plans for other folk. "Planned Progress" just gives progress itself a bad name (people start to use the word "progress" with ironic or sarcastic intent).

Once the late J.R.R. Tolkien was asked (by his son Christopher) whether Sauron was evil in the early part of the Second Age of Middle Earth - "no more evil that the averige planner" was the reply.

Gentlemen,

The wisdom of the quote isn't in any pejorative connotation of the word "scheme": it is the acknowledgement that the plain denotation, a government plan, is quite bad enough.

You'd probably also have to explain to Brits that a ponzi scheme was in fact a pyramid scheme/scam!

I think I got my capitalisation wrong in the original post. It was the "East Coast Forestry Scheme", (ie "scheme" was part of the official name). The word does not have a negative connotation when used in Australia and New Zealand. I think the point was to suggest that it should, at least when the scemes in question have anything to do with the government.