Stop Misleading The Public, Dr Smith

ACT New Zealand Climate Change Spokesman John Boscawen today demanded Climate Change Issues Minister Dr Nick Smith stop his misleading, contradictory and inconsistent justifications for the New Zealand ETS and be honest to New Zealanders about the financial burden he insists on imposing on the country.
 

It is impossible to have any confidence in Dr Smith as Minister - he's in denial about the futility of the ETS; scrambling to justify a scheme that, while making no difference to the world climate, will come at a huge cost to our economy," Mr Boscawen said.

"Minister Smith has regularly played politics and made misleading statements.  For example:  Nick Smith said the ETS isn't a tax because foresters receive credits.  Fact: for practical purposes the ETS is a tax on our economy, subsidies to foresters notwithstanding.

"Nick Smith said he's 'been contacted by a number of businesses who are making substantial investments or have entered into significant contracts that would be severely disadvantaged by change'.  Fact: he failed to mention the businesses that will be harmed.

"Nick Smith said his ETS is less severe than Labour's.  Fact: he's the one choosing to inflict an ETS on New Zealand.  No comparison with Labour will change this.  What matters is what Nick Smith chooses to do, not what Labour would have done.
 
"Nick Smith said 29 countries have an ETS.  Fact: the EU ETS isn't an all-sectors, all-gases scheme, and any comparison misses the point that our farmers and exporters will be at a competitive disadvantage.
 
"Nick Smith said the Government has 'provided generous allocations for trade-exposed industries'.  Fact: he's still imposing a net cost on our businesses.

"Nick Smith said the ETS 'provides a clear financial incentive to plant trees and not deforest'.  Fact: the Kyoto/ETS debacle triggered the mass-deforestation in the first place.

"Nick Smith said we must implement the ETS on July 1 to give the certainty necessary to incentivise forestry, renewable energy and efficient technology investment.  Fact: there's no certainty when he's signalled he won't proceed with the ETS in this form post-2011.

"Nick Smith said the point of the ETS is to combat 'global warming'.  Fact: no matter what we do it won't have an effect - we're simply too small to change the climate on our own.

"How can we have confidence in such a Minister?  New Zealand's response to climate change is a serious issue with huge economic implications and the public deserves a Minister prepared to look at the facts - not one as confused and misleading as Dr Nick Smith," Mr Boscawen said.