11. Question No. 11—Climate ChangeHon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Climate ChangeQuestion No. 11—Climate Change11. Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Climate Change: What recent reports if any has he seen on New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions?Hon JAMES SHAW (Minister of Climate Change): Stats NZ has recently confirmed that greenhouse gas emissions fell to 18.43 million tonnes in the December 2022 quarter following a downwards trend. This compares to 20.5 million tonnes at the end of 2017 when we came into Government. This proves that this is a Government committed to delivering effective climate action.Hon Marama Davidson: Does he agree with Green Party co-leader James Shaw who said in 2017 that the one measure of whether a country was succeeding or failing in its fight against climate change was whether its greenhouse gas emissions were rising or falling?Hon JAMES SHAW: I always agree with the Green Party co-leader. When I became the Minister of Climate Change in 2017 I had one goal: to bring down greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand and as the Prime Minister said in this House on Tuesday climate pollution fell in 2020 2021 2022 with the December 2022 quarter delivering the lowest figure in at least nine years. This is important. We do have so much more work that we need to do but we are bending the pollution curve downwards. New Zealanders need to know that amidst all the bad news on climate change there is hope we are winning and our hard work is paying off and we need to continue that momentum through the next Parliament.Hon Marama Davidson: So why are emissions failing? [Disturbance in public gallery]SPEAKER: Order! Order! Can we have security please? You need to leave the gallery right now. Hoki atu! Ināianei! [Go back! Now!] Can we have that removed please? Hon Marama Davidson: So why are emissions falling?Hon JAMES SHAW: Emissions are falling because the Green Party with our Labour Party colleagues in Government have taken more action on climate change than the previous three decades of Governments combined. We have passed the zero carbon Act and become one of the first countries to put the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold into primary legislation. We've released the Emissions Reduction Plan the Government's first ever plan for reducing emissions in every part of the country. We've established the Climate Emergency Response Fund with money paid for by polluters. We've established the Climate Change Commission and agreed to our first three emissions budgets. We declared a climate change emergency and committed the Public Service to be carbon-neutral from 2025. We committed $1.3 billion to support the countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. We launched the New Zealand Green Investment Fund. We invested billions of dollars into buses and trains walking and cycling. We introduced the Clean Car Discount which means that in the month of June one in two new cars sold in this country was an electric vehicle (EV). We've invested in EV charging infrastructure in this country and brought in vehicle emissions standards for the first time in New Zealand history. We've helped businesses to switch to clean energy with the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry Fund. We've made Green Star 6 the minimum build standard for all new State homes. We've started the Building for Climate Change programme to cut emissions in building and construction. We've—SPEAKER: Order! That's well and truly answered. I'm not sure if I should allow this next question; you can ask it.Hon Marama Davidson: Has he seen any reports about the best ways to use revenue raised from polluters through the emissions trading scheme (ETS)?Hon JAMES SHAW: Yes as it happens; I have. I've seen reports that ETS revenue could be used to fund solar panels on homes and community centres and marae to reduce both emissions and power bills. There are also reports the ETS revenue could fund clean transport options making it safer for kids to walk and bike to school instead of making their parents sit in traffic and also for paying bus drivers decent wages. I have seen reports the ETS revenue is helping investment in major industrial polluters to switch to clean energy. I've also seen reports the ETS revenue could be used to pay for tax cuts for property speculators but those reports just don't make any sense.Hon Marama Davidson: Does he agree with Green Party co-leader James Shaw that We think patsy questions are a waste of time."?Hon JAMES SHAW: Well yes in general I do but I think it's less of a waste of time than asking the police Minister the same question 14 times over.SPEAKER: Yeah I should have ruled that question out of order. I don't usually have to admonish members of the Green Party but I find myself today having to do so. I suppose you're just catching up with the rest."