ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton says today’s revelations of councils spending over $1.3million on international flights since 2019 while declaring climate emergencies show exactly why ACT Local councillors are needed to stop local government climate activism.

“The hypocrisy of those councils declaring a climate emergency but then sending staff on junkets shows exactly why more common sense councillors are needed around the council table,” says Mr Luxton.

“ACT Local councillors will oppose attempts to reduce emissions at the local government level, and will move for much stricter policies for international travel. That means no international climate junkets, and all other travel must have clear benefits for ratepayers – in most instances this will mean no travel at all.

“The role of a council is to deliver core services and resilient infrastructure that can’t be delivered privately – not to try to change the weather.

ACT Local candidates’ approach to climate change will mean:

• Stopping local emissions reduction plans
• Ending ‘climate emergency’ declarations
• Banning ratepayer-funded climate junkets
• Closing down emissions reduction slush funds
• Requiring consenting and land use decisions to disregard emissions
• Making spending decisions based on cost, not carbon
• Continued improvement of infrastructure like stormwater and stopbanks

“Emissions are already managed at central government level via the Emissions Trading Scheme - councils don't need to be involved,” says Mr Luxton.

“In Parliament, ACT is addressing local climate activism with Mark Cameron’s member’s bill to stop councils from considering emissions in their land use plans. ACT councillors would take this a step further, working to secure majorities around the council to take climate ideology out of councils entirely.

“ACT councillors will focus on delivering the basics well, with less waste and lower rates.”

Note:

ACT has now completed candidate selection and has started announcing candidates in councils across New Zealand. Announcements so far can be read here.

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