Auchinvole Chris: Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Auchinvole Chris: Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:655;Page:4740] 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National—West Coast - Tasman) 
: 
 Following the previous speaker in speaking to the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill I say that I am not sure we will be able to manage the same degree of commercial expertise in terms of promoting the aspirations of the previous Government. I am afraid it did stay just at the aspirational level. I cannot match that member in his master’s degree in forestry science but I used to plant a hang of a lot of trees. I think the most significant point he made was that we are talking about an industry with a 30-year economic turnover. That is very very significant because what happens today will not have an effect for some considerable time. I understand that this is the first piece of legislation that has gone through the Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee. I congratulate the committee on it. 
There is something here that I gain great confidence from. When I prepared for this speech I read through all the first reading speeches that were given on this particular piece of legislation and I sensed something that is very important. It is a technical bill; it is not a bill of huge consequence people say but it is part of something— 
Stuart Nash 
: Huge consequences! 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE 
: —it is very very important and it has huge consequences—Stuart has not let me finish. Come come we did not interrupt that member when he spoke so he should give us a fair go. 
Let me get to the point. This bill is inextricably interwoven with a huge piece of legislation the emissions trading or carbon control legislation—whatever one likes to call it. It is about the whole prospect of climate change. The great confidence that I gain from it having read the first reading speeches is that there is a real sense that people recognise its importance. People recognise its significance and are preparing to work together on this issue. That might be nice for us in the House but it is particularly significant for the rest of the people of New Zealand. I welcome the speeches that I have heard today particularly those that talked about all the parties. I think without any exception every representative has said that their party is supporting this bill and that is significant. I think it is very significant that the two major parties are preparing discussions and moving towards working in harmony on this. That does not mean that the views or beliefs of individual parties will be compromised; it is just a matter of getting the best that we can out of this legislation. 
The purpose of this bill is very important. It amends the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to delay a number of requirements including reporting requirements for foresters allowing applications for exemptions for certain landholdings and the publication by the Government of an allocation plan for pre-1990 forest owners. To give a little bit of background the Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee was set up as a consequence of the confidence and supply agreement between the National Party and the ACT Party. Due to the thoroughness of the work that has been done and the significance of the current work this committee has now indicated it will report back by the end of July or early August which is a little later than anticipated. Without this bill the unfortunate consequence would be that a business with pre-1990 forest land would have to meet the legal obligations before the completion of the final allocation plan for the sector. 
Hence I consider this to be an uncontroversial bill. Its primary purpose is one that I cannot imagine a sensible person being against. It is simply allowing the law to continue smoothly. The Government sensibly in my view wishes to consider introducing offsetting or another mechanism for pre-1990 forest land. To finalise this policy and ensure that there is compliance the 30 June 2009 date in the Climate Change Response Act has to be changed. This bill passed its first reading on 23 June and went to the select committee. As a result the recommendation was made that 1 July 2010 would be the new deadline date for applications to be made for exceptions for landholdings with less than 50 acres of pre-1990 forest land. This particular date or the setting of it was a subject of discussion in the first reading speeches. It has now been established that it is the latest possible date by which applications may be made. I understand that the committee has agreed that the chief executive of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should have flexibility to set the date earlier than the 1 July 2010 deadline if that is suitable. Good law needs a little flexibility so this is a very positive development indeed. 
I say as other speakers have that New Zealand is a country that identifies closely with a clean green image. I include myself when I say that some of us are fortunate enough to live in parts of the country where we are indeed very very close to the natural environment. It is important that we work hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That is why we are doing so much work to cut our emissions and that is why in principle we support the idea and intentions of an emissions trading scheme. We have a large amount of work to do. Emissions are increasing on a high percentage basis in spite of the aspirations of the previous Government. In early August the Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee will produce its report for the Government from which the Government can make substantive decisions around the emissions trading scheme. That will enable us to move forward in a very positive way towards producing the kind of high-quality legislation that one comes to expect from this Government. 
To conclude I say that I am very confident that we will pursue sound practical environmental policies to achieve emissions reduction. We want to reduce emissions in balanced ways that result in the least cost to society and to the economy. The final legislation will be based around good incentives and improving the environment and the economy in combination with each other and through good science based on sustainability. I am very happy to support the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill and the long-term goals and efforts of this Government in the area of climate change. Thank you. 
Bill read a second time.