What are your plans for the ETS?
If you plan to keep it in any form, on whose authority are you taking millions of dollars from NZ consumers, that will have no measureable effect on the climate? (IPCC has been discredited; NIWA cannot justify their temperature series; world temperatures are not rising.)
David
Candidate Answers
Candidate
Answer
Thanks for your question, David, and my apologies for taking so long to respond to you - I was unable to log into the website but now that is solved. The Conservative Party would repeal the ETS as it is a great example of how not to help an economy. There is of course much scientific debate over the effect of human habitation on the environment and views range from having "little or no impact" to the "end of the world" scenario. What is agreed on is that New Zealand reducing emissions has no impact on a worldwide scale. It is time to do the right thing by our farmers and business owners and consumers. If we repeal this tax immediately we can all reap the benefits of cheaper fuel and electricity. Warm regards, Simonne
Thanks David for your question.
New Zealand’s prosperity depends on long-term sustainability. This is not just for the benefit of the environment. Sustainability is integral to our economy, society, culture and way of life.
Labour is focused on the serious future chalenges facing our country. We understadn that our furture depends on acheiving environmetnal, social and economic sustainablity.
Labour has aplan to bring the agricultural sector into the Emissions Trading Scheme by 2013 as it was alwasy intended. brigning this sector on line rather tahn endlessly deferrign, means that the revenue derived can be invested into incentivising research and development.
Labour's plan ensures that those pollute and consume our resources will be required to pay more instead of continuing to do so at taxpayer cost.
The ACT Party will Dump the ETS.
The National Government, with support from the Maori Party, implemented an Emissions Trading Scheme which has already imposed serious costs on all New Zealanders. Petrol and diesel prices went up by four cents per litre while electricity and gas prices have risen by five per cent, and all these are set to double by 2013. Farmers, already suffering through higher energy costs, are to become liable for biological emissions from January 2015.
Our preference is a carbon tax however we still need to demonstrate to National and Labour that this can be done (e.g. Australia). However given that leaves us with the ETS, it needs strong modifications to be of any use. Firstly it's prime purpose should be about emissions reductions, rather than emissions trading. Secondly it needs to apply to agriculture as this comprises around 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions. Lastly in it's current format our emissions will be paid by the tax payer rather than the polluter. There is a need to place the onus on the polluter. We are a long way off meeting our Kyoto commitments, I would suggest that the National Candidates telling us the converse I suggest they get their calculators out.
In 2008 our emissions were 60% above 1990 levels, since this time our emissions have increased further.