Kyoto: What the Government didn't tell NZers

27 June 2002

FFNZ: What the Government didn't tell New Zealanders about ratifying the Kyoto Protocol!

While the Government continues its drive towards ratifying the Kyoto Protocol despite widespread public opposition, they failed to inform the public that ratification would have inspectors roam the landscape to count sheep and measure trees, says Federated Farmers President Alistair Polson.

The penultimate step in the Government's process to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, the Climate Change Response Bill sets in place institutional arrangements for New Zealand to meet its obligations under the Protocol.

"The section on inventory and compliance outlines frightening powers of entry," said Mr Polson. "The Bill effectively says that not only the Ministry for the Environment and its inspectors will all be able to enter any property at any time to seize any information they deem pertinent to confirming the emissions levels of that property."

Inspectors must give notice to landowners but no provision is made for the landowner to refuse entry because of the potential impact on the health and safety of either humans or live stock. No consideration seems to have been given to sensitive times of the year such as calving and lambing where inspections could risk the welfare of the livestock.

"Proposing widespread powers of free and open access to private land without even defining what exactly they will do when they enter the property or without giving landowners the ability to refuse entry on reasonable grounds is abhorrent."

This is just one more reason why New Zealanders should be wary of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol before the full implications have been clearly identified and made widely known." concluded Mr Polson.

ENDS

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