Dr. Russel Norman
Co-Leader
Spokesperson on economics, electoral matters and trade

Environment has no place in Key's vision for the future.

8 August 2006

Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman expressed disappointment at the total absence of any ecological initiatives in the tax policy blueprint delivered by National Party finance spokesperson John Key in his “Mood of the Boardroom” speech in Auckland today.

“This was an opportunity for the National Party to show it is serious about the environment, and willing to integrate an ecological perspective within its core economic and business tax framework. Instead, John Key made no mention of the environment as being a factor in his list of ten tax priorities for the future.

“Perhaps, just like his leader, John Key is still in denial about the reality of climate change,” Dr Norman says. .

“At the very least, the omission makes it shockingly clear that the National Party is willing to pay only lip service to environmental issues. It will allow Nick Smith to talk about the strategic desirability of National pursuing the Green vote, but Key has now made it crystal clear that this will not be allowed to impinge on the “business as usual” priorities of the National Party.

The Green Party, on the other hand, does regard climate change as a pressing global reality, and one that must be incorporated into a genuine vision for the future.

“Genuine business tax reform needs to look at placing a price on carbon in particular, so that the market incorporates the environmental impact of greenhouse emissions, at every point in the process. Anything else is small change, and small change is what we’re getting from National on the environment right now, as evidenced by this speech from Mr. Key.”

ENDS

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