Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:610;Page:7230] 
12.  
Hon DAVID CARTER (NZ National) 
 to the  
Minister of Agriculture 
: Will the Government legislate to enforce the collection of the agricultural greenhouse gas emissions research levy; if so what is the timetable for such legislation? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Energy) 
 on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture: Yes by the middle of next year. 
Hon David Carter 
: How can the Minister argue that this is a levy and not a tax when yesterday in this House when he was asked how the Government proposed to deal with people who refused to pay the tax he said: “… we would no doubt do exactly the same as we do with people who refuse to pay their income tax or other taxes.”? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The reason that it is a levy is that it is being collected for a specific purpose. It will not go near the consolidated account. In trying to work out whether to call it a levy or a tax my preference is to call it an investment. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: Could the Minister outline the reasons for the Government’s decision to impose a small levy on farmers for research into agricultural greenhouse gas? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The emissions are waste products and reducing those will increase animal weight and growth. The results from the research will benefit farmers and farmers have to expect to pay for that as the editorial in this week’s  
Straight Furrow 
 the publication of Federated Farmers agrees. 
Dail Jones 
: How can there be any benefit to New Zealand farmers under the Kyoto Protocol bearing in mind that the USA and the Russian Federation have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol and while they do not it will never come into effect internationally? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: It is true that if the Kyoto Protocol does not come into effect internationally then it will have no effect. 
Gerrard Eckhoff 
: If the Government is so concerned about methane emissions in New Zealand why will the Government not include landfills in this new tax or levy as they are the second-biggest emitters of methane? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: It is because the Kyoto Protocol is constructed around the idea of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Can the Minister think of any sector of the New Zealand economy that is more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than agriculture and in addition to climate protection in the future what other benefits to farmers does he expect from the research that will be funded by the levy? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am sure that there is no sector more at risk from climate change than our agricultural sector. I am sure of that. I am also sure there is no sector that has been alleviated of a tax to the extent that that sector has. 
Hon David Carter 
: Is the Minister genuine about consultation with farmers and why has he instructed his officials and all Labour Party politicians not to attend any of the numerous public meetings being held to discuss this stupid tax? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I have had I think two or perhaps three invitations now most of them at about 5 minutes’ notice so I have had to decline them. But in all cases I have said that I am prepared—and I am sure that the Minister of Agriculture feels similarly—to attend meetings where there is an opportunity for further discussion. We did have some consultation last year. There were 49 meetings and 11 of them were farmer only. 
Hon David Carter 
: Will any of the 52 Labour members of Parliament attend the public meetings being held in Masterton tomorrow evening and in Hamilton on Monday evening—any of them? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am not entirely sure but the Minister of Health said she is busy and the Minister for Social Development and Employment said he would go to a meeting in Palmerston North if one is held there. I guess they will all make up their own minds.