Auchinvole Chris: Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Auchinvole Chris: Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:655;Page:4552] 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National—West Coast - Tasman) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to follow the Hon Dr Nick Smith who introduced the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Forestry Sector) Amendment Bill and my parliamentary colleague Charles Chauvel who spoke with I thought a most balanced approach and spoke about having talks between the parties to get this particular situation right. 
National believes that New Zealand is a responsible international citizen that as a country that values its clean green environment must act to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. I do not think that there is argument over that point. This bill amends the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to delay certain requirements applicable to the forestry sector under the New Zealand emissions trading scheme. 
To background the bill I say that National as part of its supply and confidence agreement with the ACT Party established a special select committee the Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee to review aspects of the existing climate change policy. The review has taken longer than planned because I understand the committee has been so thorough in its approach. The committee has now indicated that it will report back at the end of July or in early August. As a result the sector with pre-1990 forest land would have to meet legal obligations before the completion of the final allocation plan for the sector. 
To those who are not familiar with the minutiae of this particular legislation it probably sounds a little bit complex but it is not really. Under the Climate Change Response Act 2002 the Minister has a duty to issue a final allocation plan for the pre-1990 forest land before 30 June 2009. The Government wishes to consider introducing offsetting or another mechanism for the pre-1990 forest land. To finalise this policy and ensure compliance the 30 June 2009 date in the Act has to be changed. So this is really a technical bill to keep everything in sync. The 30 June 2009 date is intended to be replaced by an Order in Council with 1 July 2010 a likely date. But in introducing the bill of course the Minister for Climate Change Issues spoke of different means of achieving that change. 
Of the roughly 1.8 million hectares of forest in New Zealand about 650000 hectares were planted pre-1990. Under Kyoto forests planted from 1 January 1990 accrue carbon credits which have a value. Forests planted before 1990 do not accrue carbon credits but there are liabilities when the trees are cut down. Those liabilities will fall on the landowner. A lot of this land is Crown land—public land—and some of it is part of the settlement under the Treaty of Waitangi. Landowners of pre-1990 forests that are less than 50 hectares can apply for an extension under the emissions trading scheme but there is a risk that these landowners will not meet the 30 June 2009 deadline. This amending legislation will ensure adequate levels of compliance. That is the purpose of the bill. Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker.