Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Sitting date: 23 October 2012. Volume:685;Page:6042. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
10. 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Climate Change Issues 
: Does he stand by his comment of 17 October 2012 that “We need to make sure that New Zealand continues to do its fair share alongside other countries to combat the effects of climate change…”? 
Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Acting Minister for Climate Change Issues) 
: 
 Yes when the comment is taken in context and reported in full. What the Minister said was: “We need to make sure that New Zealand continues to do its fair share alongside other countries to combat the effects of climate change while ensuring that the ETS doesn’t have an unreasonable impact on businesses and households in this time of economic recovery”. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: While ensuring within the broader context that our scheme does not adversely impact on those sectors will he still confirm that a binding obligation under a Kyoto II scheme with the European Union is doing our fair share better than a voluntary pledge primarily with non-Kyoto APEC countries? 
Hon SIMON BRIDGES 
: Yes. I think it is very important to understand that when we look around the world New Zealand is the only country outside the EU to have a fully implemented emissions trading scheme. Indeed if you look at the major emitters in the world—the five biggest economies in terms of China the EU the USA India and Russia—it is only the EU that has an emissions trading scheme. So I think actually we are doing our fair share. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just want to get clarification from the Acting Minister to make sure that he has answered the question. With respect I was not talking about the current commitment period. My question was: “Will he confirm that a binding obligation under a Kyoto II scheme …”—post December 2012. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I invite the member to repeat his question because the question was quite specific I agree. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: Will he confirm that a binding obligation under a Kyoto II scheme post December 2012 with the European Union is doing our fair share better than a voluntary pledge primarily with non-Kyoto APEC countries? 
Hon SIMON BRIDGES 
: Although I do not claim to understand the details of what we are doing with the second commitment period my understanding is that decisions have yet to be made on that particular matter. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: Why is the Government still keeping its target for the post-Kyoto period 2013 to 2020 from the New Zealand public given that it is only 10 weeks away? 
Hon SIMON BRIDGES 
: We are not keeping anything secret. That seems to be the favourite word of the Greens at the moment but the fact of the matter is we have not made a decision. Under the first commitment period in fact we are more than meeting our obligations. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I did not use the word “secret”; I said “keeping it from the public”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister’s answer was not unreasonable. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: Is the Minister embarrassed that New Zealand has failed to produce comparable emission reduction targets at this year’s climate change meetings when compared with the European Union at 20 percent unconditional Liechtenstein at 20 percent unconditional Norway at 30 percent unconditional and Switzerland at 20 percent unconditional earning us by admission in the Government’s own briefing paper a constant refrain from others asking for targets and earning daily fossil awards? 
Hon SIMON BRIDGES 
: No. Under the first commitment period as I said we are more than meeting our obligations. In fact I am proud of what we are doing. I think we are doing our fair share and we provide global leadership on things such as the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases where we are providing real solutions to the issues of climate change. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: I seek leave of the House to table two documents. The first is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade briefing paper for the August climate change meeting in Bangkok which specifies what I quoted. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: Or the relevant page perhaps. The second is the UN document dated 23 August 2012 for the same meeting showing the current targets entered by Kyoto Protocol developed-country parties with New Zealand languishing near the bottom. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. [ 
Interruption 
] I beg your pardon there is objection. I beg your pardon there was objection. There was objection to that second one.