Boscawen John: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Boscawen John: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:659;Page:7840] 
11.  
JOHN BOSCAWEN (ACT) 
 to the  
Minister for Climate Change Issues 
: On what date will he be releasing the proposed deal from the Iwi Leadership Group and on what date does he expect to have concluded a deal? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for Climate Change Issues) 
: 
 I cannot give an exact date. Discussions are ongoing. I am hopeful that we will be in a position to announce an agreement with the Maori Party sometime in the next week. 
John Boscawen 
: Can he confirm that the paper put forward by the Iwi Leadership Group proposed an afforestation fund a first right of refusal for afforestation on Crown land and guaranteed joint-venture status for any State-owned enterprise afforestation? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: No I cannot confirm that. But I would also say to the member that people ask for lots of things in negotiations; that does not necessarily mean that they are agreed. 
Hon Mita Ririnui 
: What does he say to OraTaiao a group of more than 100 health professionals concerned about climate change when they ask how honouring the Treaty of Waitangi in the emissions trading scheme Act will happen when many Maori families will be the hardest hit by the Government’s emissions trading scheme amendments; and how on earth did he get the Maori Party to sign up to that? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The issue of the impact on low-income families has been one of the priority issues for the Maori Party. That is why our amendments to the emissions trading scheme will halve the cost increase on households—halve the increase. 
Hon David Parker 
: Add $110 billion to taxpayers. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Well members opposite say that is untrue. Their scheme would have resulted in petrol prices going up by 8c; ours will have them go up by 3c. The existing scheme has a 10 percent increase in power prices. A further issue that the Maori Party has put on the agenda is enhancement of the home insulation scheme which will also help low-income households. 
Hon Mita Ririnui 
: Well is not OraTaiao totally right when it says “… our tax contributions give powerful and vocal big emitters a licence to threaten the future for our tamariki rangatahi and future generations” and when will he stop pretending that his emissions trading scheme amendments will do anything except benefit corporate interests? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I had a very cordial constructive meeting with the group. 
Hon Member 
: You didn’t lose your cool? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Yes it was. One of the points they made was that they had believed Labour’s statements that the changes were a cost to the taxpayer rather than actually a loss in income because Labour’s scheme would cost farmers $30000 a year compared with our scheme which will cost farmers $3000 a year. 
Hekia Parata 
: Has the Minister received any information from Ngai Tahu on why they believed that the previous Government had not treated them fairly in terms of their non-disclosure issue over the emissions trading scheme and their Treaty settlement? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Yes. The report from Ngai Tahu states that the former administration despite undertakings to consult with Ngai Tahu over the terms of reference and over who would do the review did not do so and in Ngai Tahu’s view acted in bad faith. Ngai Tahu also claimed that in terms of the joint valuation that was done with the previous Government—and this is important Mr Speaker—the previous Government agreed to go into negotiations with them to resolve the issue. 
John Boscawen 
: What are the names of the foreign companies he says currently have planting rights on the Department of Conservation estate and what rentals are they currently paying? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The details of those companies are the responsibility of the Minister of Conservation. I would be happy to find out that information and to provide it to the member subject to any confidentiality agreements that are associated with those agreements. 
Hon Mita Ririnui 
: I seek leave of the House to table an article in the  
New Zealand Medical Journal  
dated 9 October 2009 by Professor Hugh Montgomery entitled “Climate change: the health consequences of inactivity” 
.  
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. 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I seek leave of the House to table the report provided to me by Ngai Tahu dated 6 August 2009 in respect of their response to the Aikman report. 
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.