3. Greenhouse Gas Emissions—Increases Measurement and Reduction TargetsJAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime MinisterGreenhouse Gas Emissions—Increases Measurement and Reduction Targets3. JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his policies?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes particularly our 2015 policy that gave families on benefits with children a $25 a week boost to their incomes while at the same time requiring them to meet obligations in respect of work. We found that taxpayers are happy to give people help when they are struggling but they do expect some obligations to be met. We disagree with the Green Party's policy that people should be paid a benefit with no obligations at all.James Shaw: Why have New Zealand's net greenhouse gas emissions risen by 19 percent since his Government took office in 2008?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: That is a good question coming from I think the only Green Party in the world with no climate change spokesman this week. New Zealand has in place a comprehensive plan to deal with climate change at the core of which is the emissions trading system for which I would give credit to the predecessors of the current Green Party who in the early 2000s encouraged the development of exactly that scheme which is so important to our climate change efforts.James Shaw: Why have New Zealand's net greenhouse gas emissions risen by 19 percent since his Government took office in 2008?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: The greenhouse gas emissions have risen partly because of the growth of the population and the growth of the economy. We are always trying to find the right balance between achieving the climate change goals we have signed up to in the Paris accord on the one hand and on the other hand ensuring that we have sustainable communities and a successful economy. As time goes on we are generating better and better solutions so there is not a trade-off—so that there are actually gains on both sides.James Shaw: Does he anticipate whether New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions will ever fall?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: We anticipate that the greenhouse gas emissions will meet the targets that we have signed up to in the climate change agreement.James Shaw: Does he agree that there is one measure and one measure only of whether a country is succeeding or failing in its fight against climate change and that that is whether its net greenhouse gas emissions are rising or falling?Rt Hon Bill English: I do not think it is quite that simple but we have signed up to some pretty clear-cut targets in the Paris Agreement. We would expect that over time New Zealand moves towards and then achieves those targets particularly as more research occurs and better technology comes to the fore—say in the transport area. We believe momentum will pick up.James Shaw: Has he read the recent National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research report that predicts that Wellington could be as hot as Sydney by 2090 and that the Wairarapa could be plagued by droughts and wildfires if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I think that the time for that kind of discussion has really passed. We accept that there are climate change targets that we need to achieve we have signed up to the global agreement to achieve those and now it is really a matter of the best tools to make progress and get there. James Shaw: In reference to his last answer about signing up to climate agreements does he stand by his actions in 2002 when in reference to Helen Clark ratifying the latest climate agreement then he held up a sign saying that the mad cow shouldn't have signed"—does he stand by that?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I think the member is referring to a specific series of protests run by the farming community in respect of something that it referred to as the "fart tax" I suppose. At the time we certainly had a lot of discussion with the community about that particular measure.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Members will get their chance for supplementary questions shortly."