Hobbs Marian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hobbs Marian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:638;Page:8189] 
11.  
Hon MARIAN HOBBS (Labour—Wellington Central) 
 to the  
Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues 
: Has he received any recent reports of outstanding contributions to the climate change policy debate? 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues) 
: 
 Yes. Contact Energy has released a web-based carbon calculator that assists New Zealanders to calculate their own carbon footprint. This helps families concerned about their world and future generations to identify sensible actions they can take to make a difference. I applaud this initiative. 
Hon Marian Hobbs 
: Can the Minister please tell the House about further reports of outstanding New Zealand contributions to combating climate change? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I will mention two from a growing list. The Bank of New Zealand has set itself on the path to carbon neutrality by 2010 and Prue Taylor from the University of Auckland has been awarded a World Conservation Union award as one of 20 outstanding women identified across the world as making a difference on climate change and other sustainability issues. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Can the Minister name any area of public policy that is in as big a mess as that of climate change when his Government said that New Zealand stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars from the Kyoto Protocol but then admitted it was out by $1 billion; when it has done U-turns on the “fart tax” and on the carbon tax and is about to do a U-turn on the deforestation tax; when despite the Prime Minister’s rhetoric of promising carbon neutrality our emissions are growing faster than those of any other country within the OECD; and when after this Government has been in office for 7 years and has spent $28 million on policy advice a  
New Zealand Herald  
editorial states: “New Zealand still has no climate change policy”? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I will not repeat the fact that wind generation is growing 88 percent this year. That seems to be pretty good progress—and it does not count Gerry Brownlee’s or Nick Smith’s! I am very confident that the wide range of policies we are proposing in the documents that are out for consultation until 30 March are a very good policy platform. I have no doubt that New Zealand will continue to do its part and lead the way in the southern hemisphere in relation to climate change mitigation. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek the leave of the House to table the special feature in the  
New Zealand Herald  
on climate change policies that states that the Government’s discussion documents lack equity clarity and coherence. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek leave to table a document from again the  
New Zealand Herald 
 stating that Government assurances that it made no such promises to the forest industry bear comparison with Bill Clinton’s statements about Monica Lewinsky. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.