2 November 2009
Media Statement

Maori Party’s and National’s own supporters don’t want ETS changes

The Maori Party should re-think its support for National's changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme in light of the overwhelming public opposition to those changes, including from Maori voters, says Labour's climate change issues spokesperson Charles Chauvel.

The NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development released a Shape NZ Survey this morning showing that Kiwis, including Maori Party and National Party voters, oppose the amendments.

New Zealanders, who face huge extra financial cost under National’s proposed changes, especially object to the Government's desire to:

• subsidise major emitters for many more years, rather than making those emitters take responsibility for their own greenhouse gas pollution;

• align the New Zealand emissions trading scheme with Australia's, even though the Australian one is far from being finalised; and

• allow greenhouse gas emissions to increase.

"Kiwis understand that National's amendments to the Emissions Trading Scheme are only going to benefit big business,” Charles Chauvel said.

“Maori voters can see this in even greater numbers than general voters. The Maori Party should take careful note of these results before committing to support National on this issue.

“Its changes have been overwhelmingly condemned in select committee submissions, and have now been roundly rejected by the public as well," Charles Chauvel said.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On The Government's Assault On Maori

This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Audrey Young in the NZ Herald has compiled a useful list of the many ways Christopher Luxon plans to roll back the progress made in race relations over the past forty years. He has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. More