13 May, 2004

Where America goes, there go the Nats

Nick Smith has confirmed that Simon Power wasn't joking and National really is committed to turning Aotearoa into America's 51st state, Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today.

Ms Fitzsimons noted that Dr Smith had committed a future National government into opting out of the Kyoto agreement on climate control if the United States and Australia didn't sign-up to it. The ditch-Kyoto policy follows hard on the heels of Simon Power's "where America goes, we go" pledge and Dr Brash's signal that he favours allowing US nuclear-powered ships into our ports.

"National would turn New Zealand into an international pariah," said Ms Fitzsimons. "Our trading partners in Europe, Japan and Canada are committed to Kyoto but the National Party would have us abandon them and our environmental responsibilities and align ourselves with the greedy and the irresponsible.

Ms Fitzsimons pointed out that New Zealand has more to lose from climate change than most countries, with 60 per cent of our exports from primary production, for which our stable temperate climate is our major advantage.

"We also have more opportunities to move away from fossil fuels than most countries, with major scope for energy efficiency improvements, solar, wind, wood and wave power," said Ms Fitzsimons.

"Scientists are telling us that the indicators that climate change is underway are getting stronger, day by day.

"Sacrificing the future of our planet in order to win short-term favour with big energy users, the current resident of the White House and international merchants of greed is not a good look for a party with pretensions of government."

ENDS

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