The Government is attempting to soften the New Zealand public to a rise in taxes to enforce flawed environmental measures, ACT MP Gerry Eckhoff said today.

"Pete Hodgson today released figures purporting to show New Zealanders are happy to pay more in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"The Government spin machine is in overdrive, trying to scare people about the effects of climate change. Pete Hodgson needs to be honest: enforcing the unsound Kyoto Protocol would cause huge price rises for New Zealanders.

"The Kyoto Protocol commits our country to return emissions of greenhouse gases back to 1990 levels.

"Treasury papers released under the Official Information Act (attached) show that meeting 1990 carbon dioxide emission levels would require existing fuel consumption to be reduced by fifty per cent. Treasury says there are two ways to meet the target: either reduce traffic congestion (which would be extremely difficult), or increase petrol tax by 70 cents/litre.

"New Zealanders would not agree to pay 70 cents more for every litre of petrol, as Mr Hodgson desires.

"Pete Hodgson is committed to enforcing the flawed Kyoto Protocol no matter what the consequences are. Today's announcement is nothing more than devious spin from a Minister preparing to hike the price of petrol.

"Mr Hodgson needs to be honest with New Zealand," Gerry Eckhoff said.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>