Kyoto Forestry Assoc Response To Hon. Jim Anderton

Thursday 23 June 2005

Response To Hon. Jim Anderton

The Kyoto Forestry Association has welcomed the Minister of Forestry’s acknowledgement, in a media statement today, that the Government’s confiscation of Kyoto carbon credits is contributing to the current crisis facing the forestry industry.

“Plantings have plunged to nearly zero from over 40,000 hectares in 1999,” association spokesman Roger Dickie said.

“Our recommendations, outlined to the Commerce Select Committee today, would see plantings return to their 1999 level, and ultimately back to their 1994 level of 100,000 hectares. The recommendations would allow New Zealand to implement our obligations under the Kyoto Protocol without cost to the New Zealand taxpayer. The costs would instead be borne by those big businesses that pollute the environment.

“Mr Anderton cannot have had time to read our submission to the Select Committee before issuing his media statement this afternoon, and nor was he at the Select Committee to hear our evidence. We urge him to read our submission at his convenience because it offers New Zealand and the Government a way out of the deep, dark hole that current policy continues to dig for us all.”

ENDS

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