Forest sector walkout highlights Kyoto fiasco

National Party Environment spokesman Nick Smith says the Labour Government only has itself to blame for the forestry sector walkout on Friday’s discussions over the Kyoto Protocol.

“Labour has used and abused the forestry sector by taking all their carbon credits, but expecting them to carry the can for the debits of deforestation.

“Officials now admit this policy is destroying confidence in the forestry sector and contributing to increased deforestation.

“The sector has lost confidence in Labour and a fresh, new approach is required to completely re-write New Zealand’s Kyoto and climate change policies. That is why Labour should take up National’s offer of a bipartisan approach to this key issue.

“The current policy is doing damage to the economy and the environment by undermining sectors like forestry, resulting in deforestation and an increased carbon liability for other taxpayers.

“Labour needs to come clean and have the courage to admit its Kyoto policies are wrong,” says Dr Smith.

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