Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:641;Page:11487] 
10.  
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues 
: Can he confirm that New Zealand’s delegation to the United Nations climate change talks in Vienna tried to block non-binding emission reduction targets of 25 to 40 percent for industrialised countries; if so was this delegation acting on his instructions or instructions from a member of his Cabinet? 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues) 
: 
 No I cannot confirm that matter. Indeed New Zealand’s plenary statement began: “First I would like to reiterate New Zealand’s readiness to take on new quantitative commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is he telling the House that reports from delegates and observers at the conference which have been widely reported in the global media over the last 4 days stating that New Zealand did line up with the countries that were opposing those targets have got it all wrong; if so—which would be good news—why has the New Zealand Government not publicly corrected them? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: If the Government chose to respond to every exaggerated bit of rhetoric from non-governmental organisations we would never get down to business. It appears that Greenpeace is actually quite happy with the result from Vienna but it appears to suggest this was obtained against the allegedly shameful wishes of the New Zealand delegation. In fact the truth is the reverse: the New Zealand delegation at the request of the chair of the meeting was instrumental in drafting the text that unblocked the negotiations. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: Has the Minister received any reports on how climate change got on the APEC agenda? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: Yes in respect of the APEC agenda it is of course well known that New Zealand’s Prime Minister the Rt Hon Helen Clark was instrumental in getting climate change on to the APEC agenda. It is true—and it was reported accurately that way last year—that this Government has been advancing climate change solutions for many years. We are not johnny-come-latelys and we have never said that climate change was a hoax. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: How can this Government have any credibility on climate change negotiations either in Vienna or Sydney when official UN figures show that New Zealand’s emissions are up 10 percent from when Labour came into office and are growing at twice the rate of Australia’s emissions and five times the rate of the United States’ emissions; and do not these figures and the Government’s opposition in Vienna to emission targets make a mockery of the Prime Minister’s talk of carbon neutrality? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I disagree again with the characterisation that Dr Smith has of Australia’s emissions. I also put on record that it is absolutely clear that both the United States and Australia have far far higher rates of emissions than does New Zealand. I do not think there is any doubt in the minds of most that New Zealand already has a substantial number of emission reduction initiatives under way and of course we have more coming soon. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Can I just confirm that the Minister is saying that contrary to news reports New Zealand did support a target of a 25 to 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2020? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I can confirm that we said we— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: No just answer the question. 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I am Dr Smith if you give me the chance. I can confirm that the representatives of the New Zealand Government explicitly noted that we are willing to take on binding targets. Further the New Zealand Government has always been of the view that we need a multilateral agreement that works; we are not willing to subscribe to agreements that will not work. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Will New Zealand be supporting the leaked draft APEC declaration that proposes replacing the real emission reduction targets of the Kyoto Protocol with a plan to allow an increase in emissions as long as that increase is slower than the rate of economic growth; and is that one of the sorts of agreements that would work? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: An international agreement that was focused solely on intensity would not work and would not be supported by New Zealand. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is there any risk to our European Union export market as a result of the Government’s perceived or real actions to weaken the international climate change regime; if so what will the Minister do to address that perception? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: There is no doubt that internationally New Zealand is regarded as being one of the countries that wants to find a meaningful practical but real means of reducing global greenhouse-gas emissions. It is very rare— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: But they are going up. 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: Settle down! There is no doubt that New Zealand’s efforts in that regard internationally are well regarded. Indeed we are the only southern hemisphere country to have taken on binding annex 1 commitments. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek leave to table the official record of greenhouse gas emissions showing that New Zealand— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: But those are going up— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I am sorry but there is objection. 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: I seek leave to table New Zealand’s plenary statements which reiterated New Zealand’s— 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.