New Zealand: Politics
Maori win ETS voice ... and trip to Copenhagen
23 Nov 2009
The Government has done a deal with the Maori Party over the emissions trading scheme that will see iwi consulted over the rules for the allocation of free carbon credits in agriculture and fishing, and taking a seat at the Copenhagen climate change talks.
Opposition gets ready to mount counter-offensive
23 Nov 2009
A carbon price cap of $100, transparency over heavy emitters making donations to political parties, and bringing agriculture into the ETS in 2013 as originally planned are among counter proposals the Labour Party will put up against the National-Maori Party deal to change the scheme.
Smith: Agreement enables progress on climate change
23 Nov 2009
The Government has secured the support of the Maori Party to enable New Zealand to implement an affordable and workable emissions trading scheme next year, Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.
Labour: A 'quick and dirty deal'
23 Nov 2009
Today's "quick and dirty deal" with the Maori Party lumps taxpayers with a $110 billion bill allowing big polluters to continue polluting, Labour Leader Phil Goff said today.
Greens: Deal will cost everyone
23 Nov 2009
Legitimate Treaty settlement concerns are not a good reason for Maori to support flawed legislation that will cost both Maori and Pakeha dearly, the Green Party said today.
Multi-party backing for admin bill to develop emissions trading market
23 Nov 2009
Parliament has adopted a Commerce Select Committee report’ recommending changes to law which will allow the country’s new emissions trading market to develop.
ETS changes mean tomorrow's NZers will pay 84 per cent of Kyoto costs, says council
23 Nov 2009
The Sustainability Council is sticking by its claim that amendments to the emissions trading scheme will mean that tomorrow’s New Zealanders will have to pay for today’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Maori quiet on ETS small print till Monday
20 Nov 2009
Details of a deal between the Maori Party and the Government for support for changes to the emissions trading scheme could be revealed on Monday.
IN THE HOUSE: Maori Party ETS deal
20 Nov 2009
Parliament yesterday discussed the potential impacts of the emissions trading scheme on Maori.
Time for a cup of tea, says veteran Nat
20 Nov 2009
A life-long National Party member is criticising the Government’s “headlong rush” into changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Next steps will depend on Maori Party bottom line
16 Nov 2009
ANALYSIS. – The backroom deal with the Maori Party will determine if changes to ETS law get through Parliament.
Oops! Treasury sums wrong by $50 billion
16 Nov 2009
Treasury underestimated by $50 billion the cost of proposed changes to the way in which the government hands out free carbon credits.
ETS debate might still be a week away
16 Nov 2009
Parliament might not debate changes to the emissions trading scheme until next week.
Dejected dairy giant plans next ETS move
16 Nov 2009
Dairy giant Fonterra is considering its next move after a parliamentary select committee failed to prevent measures that will exclude the co-operative’s processing from receiving free carbon credits.
Goff slams Government's billions blunder
16 Nov 2009
The shambolic process around the Government’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme has been exposed by a $50 billion blunder by National, Labour Leader Phil Goff said today.
Harmonisation not the way, says expert
16 Nov 2009
An international expert on emissions trading says that detailed harmonisation of the New Zealand scheme with that of Australia is not necessary or desirable.
Greens: ETS something worth swearing about
16 Nov 2009
Revelations that Climate Change Minister Nick Smith's proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme are going to cost taxpayers an extra $105 billion is something really worth swearing about, Dr Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader, said today.
National foolish in slavishly following Australia, says Chauvel
16 Nov 2009
The Australian Government's decision to exclude agriculture from its emissions trading scheme is further evidence of the folly of National's headlong rush to harmonise with Australia in this area, Labour's climate change spokesperson Charles Chauvel says.
Aussie farmers out of ETS ‘faster than a rat up a drainpipe’
16 Nov 2009
As predicted by Federated Farmers two weeks ago, Australia’s Federal Government yesterday opted to permanently exclude farmers from its emissions trading scheme.
Error sends cost of ETS changes skyrocketing
13 Nov 2009
The cost of changes to the emissions trading scheme might be up to three times as high as the Government has said.
Vote deadlocked as ETS bill returns to House
13 Nov 2009
A deadlocked select committee is expected to report back to Parliament today on the Government’s planned changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Divided Maori Party likely to toe the line on ETS
13 Nov 2009
The Maori Party is deeply divided over changes to the emissions trading scheme – but is unlikely to split its vote on the issue.
ETS politics frustrating, says business chief
6 Nov 2009
Wellington’s obsession with the politics of climate change and carbon trading is turning off the rest of the country, says the EMA (Northern).
We can meet deadline, says ETS committee
6 Nov 2009
The Government says it’s on track to have changes to the emissions trading scheme in place by the time international leaders gather in Copenhagen next month to negotiate the next global climate change agreement.
Bill sets dangerous precedent, says law expert
30 Oct 2009
The government’s climate change amendment bill is controversial, possibly unconstitutional, and sets a dangerous precedent, says constitutional law expert Professor Noel Cox.
Foss committee has tight deadlines
30 Oct 2009
The select committee considering amendments to the emissions trading scheme will be working hard to meet the November 16 reporting back deadline, says its chairman.
$209 MILLION A YEAR - that's what we'll pay to protect Rio Tinto, says analyst
23 Oct 2009
Protecting Rio Tinto’s Tiwai Point aluminium smelter from the full impacts of the emissions trading scheme will cost New Zealand $225,000 a year for every job at the smelter, a management consultant says.
Hide hacks at ETS policy management – tied bill voting more likely
23 Oct 2009
Act party leader Rodney Hide says the process of establishing the ETS is “shot through with lobbying, unprincipled deal-making and divergent treatment of different economic activities”.
Legal tangle awaits amended climate bill
23 Oct 2009
The Government might have scored an own goal in its haste to push through its climate change amendment bill.
Turia confirms big iwi leading Maori Party ETS policy
23 Oct 2009
The Maori Party is taking its lead from the iwi leadership group on emissions trading policy.
Chauvel to energy leaders: ETS changes too generous to last
23 Oct 2009
It’s unfair to business to give large concessions and subsidies that won't last.
ETS committee grants more time
23 Oct 2009
Politicians will hear more submissions next week on changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Committee vote-tie could send ETS bill back with no changes
16 Oct 2009
EXCLUSIVE - The Government is facing the prospect of a vote tie which will stop any changes to ETS law emerging from select committee.
Business blasts rushed changes to ETS
16 Oct 2009
The Government came under fire from business last night for rushing through changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Taxpayers face hefty bill from ETS subsidies, says business council
16 Oct 2009
Subsidies to heavy emitters could cost taxpayers $3.5 billion, the Business Council for Sustainable Development is warning.
'Unique' sustainability role under study
16 Oct 2009
New Zealand is a "unique" case study in the politicisation of sustainable development, say researchers at Waikato University.
Protests force slowdown on full-speed-ahead ETS
15 Oct 2009
The Government has been forced to back down over plans to restrict oral submissions on changes to the emissions trading scheme to 50 – all of which were to be heard today.
ETS changes being rammed through, says angry Act
15 Oct 2009
The Act Party is demanding more time for oral submissions on changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Business lobby group gets a night appointment
15 Oct 2009
Business New Zealand will deliver its oral submission on changes to the emissions trading scheme tonight.
Thanks, but no thanks, says Greenpeace
15 Oct 2009
At least one of the organisations down to give an oral submission on the emissions trading scheme is refusing to appear.
NEWS ALERT: Move to hear all oral submissions in ETS bill today
15 Oct 2009
A move will be made at 1pm to have the select committee considering major emissions trading scheme changes hear all oral submissions today.
Who Foss wants to hear on the ETS today
15 Oct 2009
Carbon News has obtained the list of organisations the ETS select committee chair wants to hear from in a single day for oral submissions.
No choice but to accept timeline, say Greens
15 Oct 2009
Oral submissions on changes to the emissions trading scheme will go ahead this afternoon, despite a lack of notice.
Papers show initial ETS costs as high as $500m
9 Oct 2009
The Government’s changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme will cost $400m to $500m between now and the end of 2012, according to just-released Cabinet papers.
Cabinet paper reveals possible major policy shock for forestry
9 Oct 2009
The forestry industry might be in for a shock ETS policy change, Cabinet papers released today hint.
Cabinet buys a piece of string on cost of new ETS subsidies
9 Oct 2009
A cabinet paper released today confirms no work has been done to budget for the cost of extending subsidies to large emitters after 2012.
Was National pretending to deal with Labour?
9 Oct 2009
Had National already decided what ETS changes it wanted while still outwardly wanting a deal with Labour?
Did Govt cut Maori deal without officials' advice?
9 Oct 2009
The Government appears to have negotiated support from the Maori Party for changes to the emissions trading scheme without input from officials.
Halve our GHG emissions, say doctors
9 Oct 2009
New Zealand doctors are calling for a rapid halving of this country’s greenhouse gas emissions – for the sake of our health.
Deadline looms with committee silent on rules
9 Oct 2009
No decision has been made yet on whether the select committee considering changes to the emissions trading scheme will hear oral submissions.
Bill to ban new coal mines fails at first reading
Fri 24 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A bid to outlaw new coal mines was defeated at its first hurdle in Parliament this week, after a heated debate pitting climate imperatives against energy security and affordability.
Council buys dairy farm to help clean up Lake Rotorua
Tue 21 Oct 2025
Bay of Plenty Regional Council has bought a 266-hectare dairy farm in the Lake Rotorua catchment and plans to retire it from production to reduce nitrogen entering the lake.
Emissions down slightly - Stats NZ
Fri 24 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.5% in the June 2025 quarter, although the decline seems to reflect the economy continuing to contract rather than Aoteoroa inching towards decarbonisation goals.
NZ’s government wants tourism to drive economic growth – but how will it deal with aviation emissions?
Wed 22 Oct 2025
By Robert McLachlan, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University | Following a brief dip during the COVID pandemic, aviation is back in a growth phase.
Emails show forestry lobby fought Gisborne crackdown as slash clean-up drags on
26 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Sustainable land use advocates are accusing Eastland Wood Council of stonewalling efforts to tighten forestry rules, after correspondence between the group and the local council was released under the Official Information Act.
Govt to ease climate reporting thresholds, water down liability
Wed 22 Oct 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The rollback of climate change reporting requirements has produced a wave of relief in corporate New Zealand as managed investment funds and listed companies with annual revenue under $1 billion are exempted.
