Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Jones pads carbon benefit from One Billion Trees

Paul Goldsmith - Economic and Regional Development

10 December 2018


Shane Jones claims his ‘One Billion Trees’ will cut almost $3 billion from New Zealand’s carbon liability under the Paris Agreement but papers show he vastly inflated the benefit, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Officials estimate the actual value of the One Billion Trees (OBT) scheme will be just a third of the amount Mr Jones claimed, at about $900 million, and that he padded the number by including $800 million of ETS benefits and $1 billion of business-as-usual activity, papers released under the Official Information Act show.

“That didn’t stop him publicly boasting of ‘nigh on $3 billion’ of returns to the Crown from the OBT, largely from ‘the heavy lifting that our policy will deliver to meet the costs of climate change’. It turns out this is just another example of Mr Jones’ loose and woolly approach to numbers.

“Even the $900 million figure is highly speculative because it is based on Treasury modelling that assumes New Zealand will pay a $32 billion climate change liability in 2030. There is much water to go under the bridge before Kiwis would write out such a cheque.

“The use of inflated numbers would be a concern coming from any minister, but the bar should be even higher for the Minister of Regional Development given that he oversees the $3 billion Provincial Growth Fund, which is dishing out soft loans and grants to favoured projects across the country.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Mr Jones’ rubbery figures are a textbook example of why the National Opposition asks this Government so many questions. Our duty is to hold the Government to account and challenge the often flimsy excuses it gives for driving up the cost of living and wasting taxpayer money.

“The Prime Minister must find it increasingly hard to keep smiling at each new stop on the Provincial Growth Fund’s national tour. Labour must be embarrassed that its junior partner is treating the PGF as a slush fund that makes opaque commercial deals.

“New Zealanders are becoming tired of Mr Jones’ glibness when it comes to financial snafus on his watch. The Government has a track record of wasteful spending and it is galling for Kiwis to be taxed more to pay for it all, which is just driving up living costs.

“The Government inherited a strong economy with plenty of momentum but its policies won’t nurture sustainable growth that benefits all New Zealand families.”

“A National Government wouldn’t raise taxes in its first term. Our economy can grow smarter as well as bigger under National’s sensible economic plans and rigorous approach to spending.”

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On National’s Fantasy Trip To La La Landlord Land


How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is:
(A) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was touting to voters last year has now blown out to $2.9 billion. (That’s a 38% size error in the calculations.)
(B) unable to provide assurance that this handout won’t simply be pocketed by landlords
(C) unable to explain why Treasury (in research as recent as August 2023) wasn’t citing the loss of interest deductibility as a prime factor driving up rents.
More than anything, the Great Landlords Handout undermines the government’s alarmist talk about the state of the country’s books...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.