Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:653;Page:2777] 
1. TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister for Climate Change Issues 
: Kua whiwhi whakamaherehere a ia ki te korero o Brian Fallow ara “i raro i te kaupapa kia topea nga ngahere paina me whakaritea ano tetahi ake tino kaupapa hei whai ake i te take e pa ana ki te ahuarangi i te mea ka pai tonu ki te taiao ki te ohanga ki te torangapu”; hoki mena kare he aha ai? 
[ 
Has he received advice about the comments made by Brian Fallow that in the case of deforestation “offsetting” is not only the principled thing to do to address climate change but “it makes sense environmentally economically and politically”; if not why not? 
] 
Hon TIM GROSER (Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations)) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister for Climate Change Issues 
: No but we do not need advice from officials to know what our own election policy is which is that we have agreed to “[support] the implementation of a forestry offset scheme … subject to a full assessment of the costs involved.” This work is currently under way. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Ki te Minita he aha tana mahi hei whakatau i nga whakaaro o nga kaihautu Maori i mua i te komiti whaiti i tenei wiki ae he whakaaro kotahi to ratou ko te Minita kia penei na; me aro ki nga nawe e pa ana ki te ahuarangi tuarua kaua ra e tukuna kia wahatia e Ngai Maori te nuinga o te nama?  
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
What will the Minister do to assure Maori leaders appearing before the select committee this week that he agrees with them that climate change needs to be dealt with but the burden of doing so should not fall disproportionately on Maori? 
] 
Hon TIM GROSER 
: The Government intends that any amendments to the emissions trading scheme ensure that all parties including Maori face only their fair share of any burden that needs to be faced. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Does the Minister agree that if forest offsetting is to make sense environmentally it may be necessary to plant more land than has been cleared in order to compensate for trees growing more slowly on lower-quality land—in other words to offset carbon for carbon not hectare for hectare? 
Hon TIM GROSER 
: Yes that is certainly a valid argument. We are giving consideration to it. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Ki te Minita e ai ki a Brian Fallow ki te tuki nga tiriti e rua pera ki to Waitangi me to Kyoto me whai mana ko to Waitangi ke; he aha to te Minita whakaaro 
? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
What are the Minister’s views on the recommendation from Brian Fallow that in an area where two treaties collide—that is the Treaty of Waitangi and the Kyoto Protocol—the former must take precedence? 
] 
Hon TIM GROSER 
: The Government honours the Treaty of Waitangi and ensures that it takes into account all such commitments when entering any negotiation of international agreements—trade or climate change. 
Craig Foss 
: What is New Zealand doing internationally to ensure offsetting is incorporated in international climate change rules post-2012? 
Hon TIM GROSER 
: This is a high priority for our Government in international negotiations of the post-2012 rules and critical for land-based sectors. Land should be used according to its best use and the rules should in our view provide for as much flexibility as possible. Under this Government and the previous Government New Zealand has put forward a strong negotiating proposal based on sound science to allow offsets for plantation forests in any successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol on the grounds that the climate does not distinguish between a hectare of plantation forest replanted on the same hectare as opposed to a hectare planted somewhere else. If our negotiating partners cannot agree to such a simple climate-change-neutral position it does not bode well for negotiations over far more difficult issues.