Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Carter David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6560] 
12.  
Hon DAVID CARTER (NZ National) 
 to the  
Convenor Ministerial Group on Climate Change 
: Does he expect any theoretical improvements to farmers’ productivity made through research funded by a tax on livestock emissions to benefit every farmer and the environment by 2008; if so why? 
Hon JIM SUTTON (Minister of Agriculture) 
 on behalf of the Convenor Ministerial Group on Climate Change: The research programme on agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions will give priority to measures that will bring the greatest production efficiency gain to farmers in the short to medium term. That approach could well bring benefits by 2008. We will find out by doing the research. 
Hon David Carter 
: Is the Convenor conscious of his remarks on 16 November 2001 when he said: “I can offer you a personal viewpoint which is that to tax cattle and sheep is a remarkably stupid thing to do. It is precisely the wrong policy approach.”; and what changed between 16 November 2001 and today? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I am not familiar with the quote the member mentioned so I take it that the member is advocating instead that farmers pay an emissions tax on their ruminant animals which if applied in the normal way would cost them about $925 million a year. I think the Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change has done farmers an enormous favour by offering them an opportunity instead to fund research to the value of $8.5 million a year. 
Hon David Carter 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I want you to reflect on that answer. It shows the difficulty we get into when we put a question on the Order Paper whereby we want to question the Minister about remarks he has personally made. As you know I sought leave for the question to be moved to another day when Mr Hodgson could be present. We then had an answer from Mr Sutton where he said he was not aware of the comments that Mr Hodgson had made and that had been printed in the media. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Yes but then he went on to address the question and give quite a full answer to it. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: What expert advice does the Government have on the potential for improving farm productivity through this research? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: An expert assessment on the current science identified a range of research projects with the potential to deliver productivity benefits both in the short and long term. I quote just one remark from that assessment which is publicly available: “A successful technology will deliver a win-win result with respect to methane reduction and increased animal production.” 
Hon David Carter 
: In question time yesterday why did the Minister say that “farmers do not have greenhouse-gas credits”; and does he not realise that many farmers have forestry on their land—the credits of which his Government has nationalised? 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: I had nothing to say about that yesterday whatsoever. I was on my way back from Sharm el Sheikh. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister now will give an answer to the question please. 
Hon JIM SUTTON 
: On behalf of my colleague Pete Hodgson the proposed plan of research is one designed with the best scientific advice available. The quality of that advice has been endorsed by amongst others the chairman of Meat New Zealand a former chief whip of the National Party.