New Zealand: Politics
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.
Go online and have your say on the ETS
2 Oct 2009
Parliament is calling for submissions on changes to the emissions trading scheme – and for the first time they can be made online.
Labour grizzles as ETS changes go through House
23 Sep 2009
National’s changes to the emissions trading scheme moved a step closer yesterday amid threats that a Labour Government would throw them out again.
Back our bill, pleads 'proud' climate minister
23 Sep 2009
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith says that National has delivered on its election promise to amend the emissions trading scheme.
Emissions action can create millions of jobs, says report
23 Sep 2009
The new report shows how action to cut CO2 emissions can increase both GDP and employment in all major economies.
IN THE HOUSE: First reading, Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill, September 24, 2009
23 Sep 2009
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith: Mr Speaker, I move that the Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill now be read a first time.
No-deals Nats would have gone for a carbon tax
18 Sep 2009
The Government was apparently prepared to scrap the emissions trading scheme in favour of a carbon tax if it couldn’t get the support it needed to amend the current scheme.
Doors might shut on public opinion of ETS deal
18 Sep 2009
The public might not get a say on the deal between the National and Maori parties to change the emissions trading scheme.
Labour releases ETS breakdown papers
18 Sep 2009
The Labour Party has released more documents from the failed negotiations for a National-Labour deal on the emissions trading scheme.
IN THE HOUSE: Deal with Maori under scrutiny
18 Sep 2009
Questions over the deal between the National and Maori parties have dominated environmental debates in Parliament this week.
Shock of ETS announcement destroys prospect of policy certainty
14 Sep 2009
While the Prime Minister John Key still wants to do a deal with Labour on the ETS the prospect seems highly unlikely.
Farmers could have gained millions in secret deal proposed by Labour
14 Sep 2009
A draft ETS deal sent to the National party by Labour Monday morning reveals the Opposition proposed a special deal for agriculture which could have paid farmers millions before 2013.
EXCLUSIVE - The "Dear Lucy" deal e-mail from Labour to National
14 Sep 2009
Carbon News has an e-mail sent Monday morning from Labour's climate change negotiator to Minister Nick Smith.
Press conference audio: Maori will now approve any Labour suggested changes
14 Sep 2009
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith has been "left playing defense" over the Labour negotiations, according to audio of today's media conference.
What the Government says will happen
14 Sep 2009
The Government has issued Q and A documents on its proposed changes to the ETS.
NZ hydrogen regulation to catch up with the world
18 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The government has announced a regulatory reset for New Zealand’s emerging clean tech hydrogen sector.
State-owned farmer drives profit growth with emissions reductions
19 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Government-owned Landcorp, trading as Pāmu, is one-third of the way to meeting its 2031 emissions reduction targets, with five years left to run to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30.3% against 2021 emissions.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
10 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transport pollution was the biggest contributor to an increase in New Zealand’s consumption-based emissions in 2023, with emissions from household travel up 12%, and consumption-based emissions totalling 58.3 million tonnes – up 1.6% from the previous year.
NZ could become ‘dumping ground’ for dirty vehicles: Commissioner
16 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, has warned the Government that its changes to the clean car standard could turn the country into a dumping ground for high emitting cars, making future emissions budgets harder to achieve.
Uncertainty eroding confidence in forestry sector
5 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Warnings are mounting that tree planting is set to plunge to “very close to zero”, as new Ministry for Primary Industries data shows ETS registration applications falling sharply as confidence in forestry declines.
Investors must support positive climate-tech
28 Nov 2025
OPINION: We need better leadership than the current ‘climate opportunism’ that is rife in the Beehive, and we need to back a marketplace that will make it happen, writes Rob Campbell.
