Smith Nick: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Smith Nick: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:649;Page:17699] 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) 
: 
 I find it extraordinary that here is the Government that has made climate change its great issue—in fact the Prime Minister has said that climate change is the issue on which she wants to campaign in this election—yet the Minister in the chair the Hon David Parker has not been able to answer a very simple question: what were the greenhouse gas emissions for New Zealand in 2007? We know that for every year from 2000-01 all the way through to 2006 the greenhouse gas emissions for New Zealand grew by nine million tonnes. But why is it that the Government is trying to hide the figures for last year? If this were a Government of open transparency if this Government really believed in its programme of policies around climate change it would be pleased to get the figures out for last year. 
Why is it that this Labour Government will not be open and transparent about New Zealand’s emissions in 2007? It is extraordinary that the Minister will not take a call and answer that very basic question. I think I know why; it is that this Government’s record despite all the rhetoric on climate change has been just awful. We know that every one of its policy measures has turned to custard. We could talk about the failure of the projects to reduce emissions where the Government tendered out projects and then had to buy them back in again. We could talk about what has happened with electricity whereby 75 percent of new electricity generation that has been commissioned since Labour has been the Government has been thermal. Can you believe it? 
Hon David Carter 
: No! 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Three-quarters of the new generating capacity that has been commissioned by this Government has been thermal. 
Hon David Parker 
: Not so. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The Minister in the chair says “Not so.” Those are the figures from his very own ministry; it accepts that 75 percent of new generation has been thermal. Then we have the worst forestry figures since records began in 1951—that is trees play a really important role in absorbing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere but with this Government’s policies we have seen record levels of deforestation. 
Hon Shane Jones 
: It’s due to the Siberian forests. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Well Shane Jones! Is it not interesting—crime is due to the moon deforestation is due to the Siberian forests! We know that the Government’s solar water heating policy has resulted in a drop in the number of Siberian forests! That is a new line. I have to say the reason that so many trees were cut down last year in New Zealand the reason there was a chainsaw massacre is that this Government’s stupid policies around forestry encouraged foresters to get out there and to chainsaw down their forests. I just ask Mr Jones whether he can name a single climate change policy that this Government has succeeded on. The project to reduce emissions has failed. I am not sure what happened to the billion-dollar surplus of solar water heaters being installed. We know that the policy— 
Hon Shane Jones 
: “Treelords”. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: He says that “Treelords” is the answer. Does he know that the biggest loss of forests has occurred in the central North Island area under his Government’s watch? On every front there has been failure on climate change. We have an emissions— 
Hon Shane Jones 
: Stop these unfounded allegations. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I challenge Shane Jones to take a call to explain why emissions have gone up every single year under this Government and tell us the data for 2007. I simply conclude that the Government has become so embarrassed— 
Hon Shane Jones 
: A passing blip. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: It is a passing blip! I say to Mr Jones that the problem is that the “passing blip” has been going on for 9 years—every single year. Perhaps the Labour Government will go down in history as a passing blip. New Zealand deserves better. I say to Mr Jones that the Government has had 9 years to deal with the issue of climate change. Emissions have continued to grow. Every one of the Government’s policies has failed and I simply challenge the Government to come clean with the 2007 figures. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: I just make the comment that although the previous speaker was calling for members of the Government to speak it has limited calls left in this debate unfortunately. 
Vote agreed to.