Hague Kevin: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHague Kevin: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 24 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4707. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.KEVIN HAGUE (Green) to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Does he agree with Lancet Commission co-Chair Professor Hugh Montgomery that “climate change is a medical emergency” but “tackling climate change could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century”?Hon TIM GROSER (Minister for Climate Change Issues): In the light of the discussion we have just had let me put it this way. If one were a climate change denier then in the last few days it has been a very bad run for anyone who is a doctor a patient or a Catholic.Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Frankly if that was not proof of this Minister’s inability to answer these questions I do not know what is. And it was certainly—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat immediately. Sit down. It is not the answer I would have hoped for. The way forward is that I will now allow the member two additional supplementary questions.Kevin Hague: Is the New Zealand Medical Journal wrong when it says that in New Zealand leading health threats from climate change include high temperatures extreme events changing patterns of infectious diseases and water and food shortages or price changes?Hon TIM GROSER: No I do not believe that analysis is wrong. I think it is entirely consistent with the science and it is also entirely consistent with the underlying objective of the 1992 convention which calls for Governments to act to stabilise anthropogenic emissions at a level suitable for human habitation.Kevin Hague: Is Dr Rhys Jones public health physician and senior lecturer at the University of Auckland wrong when he said that tackling climate change is likely to be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century meaning that urgent action to move to a low and very soon zero carbon society is not just necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change but if done correctly will be enormously beneficial for our health and well-being right now?Hon TIM GROSER: I will leave it to medical experts to debate this. What I notice is that The Lancet said it could be. Whether in fact it will be greater than say the risk of superbugs to the efficacy of antibiotics greater than the perennial rise of cancer in advanced societies or other such major challenges facing the medical community is an interesting question but yes it could be the greatest challenge.Kevin Hague: Why then did the Government’s consultation document on setting New Zealand’s post-2020 climate change target completely fail to consider the health costs of climate change and the health benefits from well-designed climate action?Hon TIM GROSER: The question fundamentally relates to the risks of climate change; that relates to the science. The consultation was not trying to reopen the science which we think is extremely clear.Kevin Hague: What steps has he taken to protect New Zealanders’ health in the face of climate change?Hon TIM GROSER: I and the team of New Zealand experts that works with me have done a great deal to try to contribute towards global solutions on climate change which is the root of the problem. We have done this in a variety of ways on which I have addressed this House only recently.Kevin Hague: If I were to ask another oral question about health services in relation to climate change tomorrow will he guarantee that the Government will not transfer that question?Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no ministerial responsibility for that whatsoever.