"The madness of the Government’s new carbon tax is that New Zealanders will be the only people in the world paying it. It will drive up the costs of living and undermine the competitiveness of New Zealand business for negligible environmental gain.” Nick Smith - Friday, 25 November 2005 http://www.nick4nelson.co.nz/nelson-marlborough-farming-december-column.html
On the 1st July, 2010, New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is to be implemented.
The ETS is effectively a new tax that will affect most sectors of the New Zealand economy, raising prices for all New Zealanders.
It can be estimated it will eventually cost the average New Zealand household about $2500 - $3000 in higher prices (worsened by any increase in the rate of GST). In addition, Sheep and Beef farmers will become liable (at $25/tonne CO2) to $5,200, while Dairy farmers will pay over $10,000 each – with 75% of these levies commencing in July 2010. And then there is the jump in prices of EVERYTHING, followed by higher interest rates!
For what?
For no measurable changes to CO2 levels and climate!
There are no positives, only negatives for the people of New Zealand.
We join the business and farming communities in calling on the Government to defer the implementation of the ETS given:
- that it has just become known that Australia is deferring the implementation of its ETS scheme until 2013,
- that no other country has put in place any similar scheme,
- that its implementation will severely disadvantage NZ against its trading partners,
- that it will cause unnecessary hardship for a very large number of New Zealanders.
