A Bill that is currently in front of Parliament will have serious implications for the future of our economy if passed in its present form. Unfortunately few understand the magnitude of what is being proposed and to date it has attracted little attention. The media, it seems, are more interested in reporting climate change protests by school children and declarations of climate emergencies by local councils.
The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill will impose such punitive United Nations climate targets onto New Zealand that it will cripple our economy and dramatically reduce our living standards.
The Regulatory Impact Statement accompanying the Bill explains that economic growth could slow by $5-12 billion per year over 2020 to 2050 – a loss of around $300 billion. Furthermore emissions-intensive sectors including farming “could see their output drop by 50 percent from current levels by 2050”.
The Green Party co-leader and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw introduced the Bill into Parliament using his typical alarmist tone: “The world is on fire. The climate emergency that we are now facing will change the way we live, where we live, how we travel, how we work, and how we raise our children.” He warned of “more severe flooding, drought, coastal erosion, and storm surges than we have ever seen before”.
Those comments are contrary to the findings of a few brave scientists like US Climatologist Professor Joseph D’Aleo who documents rebuttals of climate alarmism, to show that present-day changes are completely within the bounds of normal climate variability.
That inconvenient truth is not stopping Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First from forcing onto New Zealanders the harshest of the Paris Climate Accord targets – not the more relaxed 2 degrees target that other countries working towards, but the more stringent 1.5 degrees target. As James Shaw explained in Parliament: “As far as we’re aware, we are the first country in the world to locate that commitment to hold global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees in primary legislation.”
In other words, he and Jacinda Ardern are putting their desire to be seen as global leaders in the fight against climate change ahead of the wellbeing of New Zealanders.
James Shaw explained that in order to keep global warming to under 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels the Bill sets into legislation emissions reduction targets: “to reduce our emissions of all greenhouse gases, except biogenic methane, to net zero by 2050. It will also seek to reduce our gross emissions of biogenic methane within the range of 24 to 47 percent below 2017 levels by 2050, and will include an interim requirement to reduce gross emissions of biogenic methane by 10 percent below 2017 levels by 2030.”
What this means is that once this Bill is enacted stringent emissions targets will create a seismic shift in the economy, as every business is forced to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Businesses that produce carbon dioxide will be able to plant trees to offset their emissions. But the Bill specifically prevents farmers who produce methane from doing the same. This is in spite of many farmers already owning land suitable for planting wood lots.
Given that methane is produced by the digestion of sheep and cows, the only way that farmers will be able to reduce their emissions is by cutting stock numbers.
In his speech to Parliament, James Shaw explained that the 1.5 degrees target he is imposing on New Zealand is “set out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement”.
But what he didn’t disclose is that the second part of Article 2 prohibits governments from introducing measures that threaten food production.
This week’s NZCPR Guest Commentator, energy expert Bryan Leyland, is extremely concerned about the damaging implications of the Bill:
“We are entitled to expect that the Bill has been drafted by people who have some expertise in climate science and have read the Paris Agreement. Dream on!
“If they had read the Paris Agreement they would have come across Article 2 which says ‘… Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change… in a matter that does not threaten food production’.
“The Government’s attack on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions will reduce food production, so, by including agricultural emissions New Zealand is ignoring its obligations under the Agreement. We would do more to reduce worldwide emissions by increasing agricultural production – after all, we are the most efficient in the world.”
Bryan is right – Jacinda Ardern, James Shaw and Winston Peters are deliberately ignoring the requirement of the UN’s Paris Accord that the restrictions they impose on businesses, must not impact on food producers.
Since New Zealand’s agricultural sector is the most efficient food producer in the world it is totally irresponsible of this Government to have no regard for this Article 2 rule. Their actions will jeopardise our biggest export earner, not to mention the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of people who work on farms and in rural service industries throughout the country.
Furthermore, by restricting New Zealand’s agricultural exports, this Government will be responsible for significantly increasing global emissions as far-less efficient food producers step up production to fill the gap.
So where did these emissions targets that will be so damaging to our economy come from?
The Prime Minister admitted in her first reading speech, that the harsh methane targets being imposed on farmers were not designed by New Zealand’s scientific experts, but by the UN’s highly politicised climate bureaucracy: “The only thing that we have – science based – is actually the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They undertook modelling that … said you would need to set a target between 24 and 47 percent.”
Agribusiness consultant Professor Keith Woodford, points out that it is the UN’s climate panel that is responsible for the emissions burden allocated to New Zealand’s agricultural sector being far too high.
He explains that it was the UN that made an arbitrary decision that the warming capacity of methane in the atmosphere is equivalent to 28 units of carbon dioxide. This led to the claim that methane from agriculture makes up almost half of all New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions.
But Professor Woodford describes how the measures are contingent on timing, since methane breaks down quickly in the atmosphere, while carbon dioxide doesn’t. As a result, when the UN assumed that our 4.5 billion year old planet would only exist for another 100 years, each unit of methane was considered equivalent to 28 units of carbon dioxide. But when they took a more realistic view – that the planet will still be here in 500 years’ time – the figure drops from 28 units of carbon dioxide to just over 6.
Since we are not expecting the world to end anytime soon, the longer timeframe should be taken and the lower estimate used. That means that agricultural emissions are too small to worry about.
Not only that, but thanks to the carbon cycle, methane emissions have stabilised – as Professor Woodford explains: “In the case of New Zealand’s ruminant-sourced methane, the gross emissions have been close to static for the last 30 years. Given that the average resident time of methane is believed to be around 12.4 years, we have now reached a point where the atmospheric cloud of ruminant-sourced methane is no longer growing. What this means is that net emissions of ruminant-sourced methane into the atmosphere are effectively zero.”
In other words, the Green Party’s plan to penalise New Zealand farmers through this Bill should be abandoned!
The adverse consequences of the proposed legislation are already starting to be felt and the Bill has not even been passed into law.
In the Wairarapa, thousands of hectares of productive farm land are now being purchased by businesses to plant pine trees for carbon credits to offset their carbon footprints. Most are unlikely to have any intention of harvesting the pines. The effect will be to lock-up once productive land and extinguish the economic benefits that it has provided to the economy
The passive investment returns from ‘carbon’ farming will become even more compelling once carbon price rise from the current $25 per tonne. The Bill’s Regulatory Impact Statement estimates that by 2050, the carbon price could be anywhere between $75 a tonne and $885!
According to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, as a result of the potential increase in the price of carbon and the Government’s incentives to plant trees, the median price of farms suitable for forestry has risen by 45 percent over the last year from $6,487 per hectare to $9,394 per hectare.
Already more than 30,000ha of land in the Gisborne, Tararua, Wairoa and Wairarapa districts has gone to forestry. With forestry employing 1.5 people per 1,000ha of plantation, compared with farming at 7.6 workers per 1,000ha of pasture, this change in land use will decimate farming communities and service towns – not to mention the meat processing plants.
In Wairoa, around 10,000ha has been purchased for forestry, representing seven percent of the district’s pastoral land. That means a loss of around 60 farming jobs, as well as an estimated 60 downstream servicing jobs.
Of those 10,000ha, about a third is being sold to overseas buyers.
What’s ironic is that in the lead up to the 2017 election, Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First all campaigned on stopping foreigners from buying New Zealand land. Yet last year they changed the Overseas Investment Act to introduce a new “special forestry test” that makes it easier for foreigners to buy land for forestry.
Already 75 percent of forestry companies operating in New Zealand are foreign owned. That is likely to increase under the Government’s new changes.
In the Tararua district, four farms were sold to forestry last year. This year 12 have already been sold. This will be happening all around the country, leading to growing concerns about the effect on local communities.
A further irony is that New Zealand First is parading itself as a champion for the provinces through the Provincial Growth Fund. Yet by supporting this ill-advised climate bill, they will be contributing to what will become a serious provincial decline.
In summary, the Climate Bill establishes a Climate Commission of seven people to provide independent advice to the Government and monitor progress on emissions reductions. It sets into law the 2050 emissions targets, creates monitoring regimes, and provides for regular climate change risk assessments.
And of course, in the spirit of “partnership”, the Bill provides special consideration to Maori interests through section 3A.
When choosing Commissioners it specifies “particular attention is required to seeking nominations from iwi and Maori representative organisations”. In other words, some of the seven seats will be reserved for Maori.
When establishing emission reduction plans, “the Minister must include a strategy to recognise and mitigate the impacts on iwi and Maori of reducing emissions and must ensure that iwi and Maori have been adequately consulted on the plan”.
And when considering adaptation plans, “the Minister must take into account the economic, social, health, environmental, ecological, and cultural effects of climate change on iwi and Maori”.
Under Section 3A it seems the Government has provided an escape route so Maori interests can be exempted from the costs of the proposed law – or perhaps it’s establishing a new opportunity for future compensation claims.
The question for New Zealanders is whether we are prepared to meekly accept the significant sacrifices required by the Bill, while other Governments around the world simply pay lip service to the cause.
The absence of any backlash in New Zealand is most likely due to the complexity of the carbon trading system, and the lack of critical analysis by our media. If those most affected by the radical proposals contained in the Bill realised the effect, they would not remain silent.
The Bill is open for public submissions until the 16th of July – see HERE. We recommend that anyone concerned about the long term consequences for New Zealand of this Bill send in a submission – even a simple one – opposing it. The larger the number of opposing submissions, the more likely the Government is to listen – so please help us spread the message.
THIS WEEK’S POLL ASKS:
Should Maori interests be exempted from the impact of the Zero Carbon Bill?
*Poll comments are posted below.
*All NZCPR poll results can be seen in the Archive.
THIS WEEK’S POLL COMMENTS
| No more racism please! | Dave |
| The whole thing is a U.N. Scam.get rid of the Greens, our silly girl PM, Winston Peters and drag these less than 30% Maori blooded idiots into the real world, without special privileges,and lets have some sanity. We must get a strong coalition party to keep National in check and follow President Trumps lead, out of the U.N. and the Stupid Paris Accord. This is an underhand move towards a takeover by the U.N.s One World Govt., with the help of J Alderney. | Carolyn |
| Such a ‘special’ group of humans! | David |
| Racism | Michael |
| Well boys and girls –It looks like we are royally screwed. ( except the divine untouchable you know who) Since auntie Helen is back from her stint in the UN and established her Helen Clark foundation( sounds ominous and very much reminds of the Clinton Foundation) it it obvious that this character is whispering the orders given to her by her UN masters into Jacinderellas ears.I said it before : if this pack of lunatics is ‘governing’ our country for another 3 years, the damage done will be impossible to fix. The Maori bosses will have creamed off billions of dollars more by then and will be taking over what’s left and turn it into gangland. God have mercy on us !!! | Michael |
| I cannot understand why Maori should have rights and privileges beyond that of all other New Zealanders. New Zealand was not built/developed by Maori, but by the knowledge, expertise and skills of all New Zealanders. | Fred |
| Race based vote buying | Gaz |
| We are all in this together and there shouldn’t be any exceptions. | Mike |
| Another sop to Maori | Graham |
| More freebees for the Maoris? already their business ventures enjoy tax free profits and they of course expect any new Labour Tax to be only imposed on everybody but them. Gimmee, Gimmee, Gimmee is their trade mark. The outlook for NZ’s main income source is certainly under threat. | Chris |
| They are a commercial interest like any other business and should not be exempt. | Steve |
| Definitely not. We are supposed to all be equal under the law. | Alan |
| One nation one people | David |
| All of new Zealand’s primary production sector, including Maori, should be exempt from the Zero Carbon Bill | Alister |
| zero carbon bill, what nonsense. This shows how idiotic governments of all strips are if they think this will save the world while on the other hand deliberately creating a financial and social racial division of apartheid. Follow the money, it always about the money for the few and how to justify taking it from the many. | Sam |
| WHY should they ? Are we not ALL New Zealanders ?? Do Maori not already get benefits that the rest of us are not permitted ?? WRONG | Mike |
| That is racism at its worst. We are one Nation. Carbon Tax Etc is the biggest con job ever conceived by the UN and who ever else pushes that barrow of nonsense. | Wayne |
| The whole of the “climate change/Global warming” is a massive scam with no foundation at all in science! The world has not warmed in the last 20 years, & given the current state of the sun-spots, will soon begin to cool. We are entering another (Little) Ice Age. This nonsense MUST be stopped. God preserve us from these charlatans & fools! | David |
| Definitely not. | Pamela |
| Why should they????? | Maddi |
| Why would they? If Maori are to be exempt that would seem to suggest that the Zero Carbon Bill is totally meaningless. | Roger |
| No! They should be treated exactly the same as all other NZers.. They should not be included separately by having them on special advisory boards! We are all one people, remember! | Frank |
| No – All New Zealanders must be treated equally. This entire Bill is ridiculous and should be scrapped. When James Shaw stops being one of NZs major CO2 emitters these idiots might get some credibility. He simply does not believe a word of the rubbish he spouts. | Lee |
| We are all humans. | Jo |
| we are ALL in the same boat | Williebrord |
| More racist legislation | jd |
| What absolute nonsense to even suggest this, Another case of racial discrimination at its worst | John |
| It just goes to show climate change is anything the left wingers want it to be, if they can exempt Maori interests from the impact of zero carbon. Has nothing to do with global warming but a fight against capitalism and none of these people are leaders. Shaw is robotic, Peters led us down the garden path and Ardern is unworthy of her elevation. Justin Trudeau will lose the Canadian election because of his carbon taxes threat and our lot will go the same way; pity it is not as soon as Trudeau. | Monica |
| The zero carbon bill should never be passed by parliament. | Allan |
| For goodness sake when is this racial rubbish going to stop? | Colin |
| Either they are equal members of our country or they are not. If they are not prepared to takr the bad with the good then they should bugger off altogether! | Ron |
| Absolutely not. What a ridiculous concept. | Barbara |
| One Nation one people. | John |
| No special treatment for anyone! | Richard |
| NO!!! | john |
| No. We all should be exempt from this insanity! | ROBERT |
| NO. But then, the whole bill should be scrapped. It is one insanity on top of another. | Joyce |
| When will this unbelievable crap end ? | Richard |
| NO, NO, No, no, no, no, no. No more special privilege for avaricious opportunists. And no more stupid laws without consideration of all the consequences. I’m sick of this downhill gallop into racism. | Joyce |
| just say no to all race based politics | barry |
| Simply another travesty of democratic process and equality for all | Ken |
| ridiculous to even consider this | Konrad |
| not bloody likely they get far to many exemptions now WE ARE ONE | John |
| Why should they? Who is their competition? Does that competition get the same consideration? | Graham |
| Why? It%u2019s time we all thought of ourselves as New Zealanders. | Vivienne |
| What next?? | Ian |
| If the rest of us are exempted as well. | Dennis |
| Of course not. The Maori are not special in anyway. Once again we need to get rid of this race based policy, among all the others. | Robert |
| we are all New Zealanders | Chres |
| the bill should be scrapped and Shaw, Ardern etc charged with treason | chris |
| The Treaty of Waitangi does not state that Maori should have preferential treatment with regard to the law of the land. If we are to develop as a nation, shoulder to shoulder, which happens in most urban neighbourhoods, the law must treat all as equals, without fear or favour. Politicians should stop grandstanding and stop promulgating separatist views. | Vic |
| Definitely not. | Clark |
| No, No , Never Ever !! They are part of NZ just the same as the Pakeha !! NZ should withdraw from the paris Agreement just like other Countries with Intelligent Politicians have done !! This Carbon issue is a UN Scam !! | Pierre |
| Same rules should apply to all – across the board and all law. | Stan |
| If this Zero Carbon Bill is such a crash hot idea, why would Maori interests want to be exempted? The answer is obvious. | Scott |
| All for one, and one for all. If they want the bill they can suffer under it too. We will not not get a reasonable outcry against it from those who stand to gain by it. If we all know we will all suffer we will all stand up for each other and vote against. | Hilary |
| Heck, no! Maori carbon is just as bad as anyone else’s. But, seriously, the nutty “green” element in Government has finally overstepped the bounds of sense so far that mass revolt will be the only result if this economically crippling and totally unnecessary and ineffectual Bill is passed into law. Is there no one on the Government benches, or even in Opposition, who can understand the ramifications of this? | Rob |
| One rule for one NZ people | Angela |
| Absolutely Not! | Mark |
| We should all suffer together. no special treatment for Maoris. | tony |
| Here we are again with Labour & its cohorts endeavouring to divide the country on race based issues. | Brian |
| Certainly not! If the bill is sensible, then it should apply to all. If there are exemptions, then ipso facto, the bill is not sensible | Geoffrey |
| I do not support the continued apartheid in NZ. | zoran |
| What is this country coming to? Are Maori some godly ‘untouchable’ immortal characters, placing themselves, or being placed above all other mere genuine New Zealanders? | Stuart |
| Maori are built of the same carbon as everybody else. | Dave |
| blinkin heck, whats with that, do we have a 2 tier them and us even in carbon scams, don’t they breath and drive cars and own cows….. | Wayne |
| No we are all New Zealanders and should be treated equally | Laurel |
| Hey – believe it or not they live in the same world as the rest of us. | Peter |
| No more special deals for Maori. | Ronmac |
| ONE LAW FOR ALL NZers!!! | Linc |
| I thought we were supposedly one people but no we are heading toward reverse apartheid | John |
| They have enough exemptions already | Digby |
| Maori interests should be treated exactly the same as any other race in NZ | Jillian |
| Where is the “level playing field”? Even if the Maoris were “in partnership” with the Crown, surely they would be expected to do their bit the same as their “partners”? They already get massive tax-breaks on their businesses, where is all this idiocy going to stop? | Ted |
| I am against worship of Maori | Alastair |
| Apartheid politics! | Peter |
| Why should they be exempt? Is Jacinda and her mates promoting apartheid again | Laurie |
| It is a load of rubbish and a huge con. Out with Jacinda | Ian |
| No More Maori separate legislation | Alan |
| never! we should all be treated equal | Gerard |
| I understand Maori are citizens of the world and therefore should not be exempt. | Jan |
| One law for all; what part of that do people not understand? | Peter |
| Of course not! Unless we are all exempted. | Neil |
| Maori don’t pay tax either or rates for maraes . Maori should have no say on water so we can sell it to bottling companies for 10billion dollars. | George |
| Words fail me. | Alan |
| This is apartheid in reverse in this country accelerated by the present government no taxation from their businesses etc | Sidwell |
| Why should that happen. Another sign of this government bending over backwards to appease a minority race. Why are they going down this path? Is this another vote catcher? | Ross |
| Absolutely ridiculous. | Jane |
| If this bill passes this country is f____ed. The mari exemption adds insult to the injury. What is that the f___wits constituting our parliament don%u2019t understand ??. They seem to be totally ignorant of the way the world (particularly France) works – sign up to all these crazy ideas and then ignore them. | Alan |
| Why do Maori always want special treatment? I thought they professed to be environmentally pure. | Maurice |
| I don’t recall any of the UN driven drivel being put forward mentioned in any Labour or NZ First policy documents, the Green could have dreamed up all they wanted as they would have never dreamt they would have been in this position post election. We are hurtling towards financial ruin, never mind Maori interests being exempted, we should all be exempted this madness. | Rob |
| NO. Absolutely not! I cannot understand their determination to give away the country and its assets to the maoris. If the maoris were the race best suited to run the country then they would never have let the British settlers run them off. | TOBY |
| Certainly not. If this stupid law is to be passed, we should all be treated the same. There is no logic in what they are doing to our efficient farmers. | Keith |
| are we not all NZers ? | Bruce |
| Its time it was said out loud , ” The Maori secretariat is Racist” | William |
| Everyone must be subjected to the same rules otherwise it is racism. | John |
| Legal reasons why Maoris have no racial rights 1. The Treaty was ruled “a simple nullity” in NZ;s Supreme Court by Chief Justice James Prendergast in 1877. 2. International law, “The Law of Nations”, states, “All international agreements must be signed by Heads of States”. As the 1835 Maori Declaration failed because the chiefs never met, no Head of State was chosen. 3. The illegal Treaty of Waitangi was written by Lieutenant Governor Hobson of New South Wales under English law. English law has no racial connotations and neither does the Treaty for this reason. 4. Our true founding document and first constitution is Queen Victoria’s royal Charter of 16-11-1840. This document separated NZ from New South Wales (NSW) and there is no mention of the Treaty in it, leaving the Treaty inside NSW borders, a foreign document. 5. As our Royal Charter was written in England under English law, all New Zealander’s are equal. | George |
| Let them carry the burden with the rest of us. They have enough privileges already. Its about time their culture climbed into the 21st century. | Peter |
| Not unless the rest of us are also exempted from this stupid bill. Once again – APARTHEID in NZ. | Geoff |
| What is this doing to our Country. Maori are getting so much more that anyone else. Where is we are all NZers and why do they keep bringing up the past. That happened over 100 years ago. It happened to all races even the English if you look back. | Cherryl |
| How long are we going to continue How long are we going to continue with a race based system in New Zealand . When we with great virtue sounding stood against it in South Africa , Blind guides leading the blind and the whole Nation will fall into ditch. We will just be like the rest of the world. Culture wars which we have never had in this Nation since settlement. Wake up people and see what these boffins in Parliament are doing to us. | Dene |
| these money grabbing bunch of halfcaste mongles get enough of the tax payer’s money but adhern and her lackies want to give them more just to keep in power so the sooner the people kick her out the better and pull out of the un at the same time. | Richard |
| Yet another exemption for Maori. Isn’t it time there were exemptions for Pakeha interests? | Juliet |
| No! Maori exemption from the Zero Carbon Bill just means more apartheid. 1. It’s time for our “basket of deplorables” to push back. 2. Sign out of the U.N. 3. “Don’t send your kids to college – stop it!, stop it! – Glenn Beck. 4. Start defunding state education – universities first! | Don |
| Of course not. | Jo |
| This is despicable and so is this ill conceived piece of legislation. | Greg |
| Ridiculous idea. | Pete |
| Enough of maori handouts the more they get the more they want ,Who are the suckers in all of this (Guess) | David |
| It is racist! | Kate |
| Racism at its worst. | Lee |
| This is racist again but it will be implemented at the expense of the white European population | Andrew |
| aren’t we all new zealanders | Allan |
| one country one law | Rob |
| Of course not. The lefties may wish to divide New Zealanders, but we all breath the same air. Some may argue that some create more CO2 than others, but I think it is really man made Methane that is the problem. Stop talking so much S…in Wellington and the methane levels would drop immediately. | John |
| NO,one in all in no exception for any race | paul |
| It is quite obvious that a large percentage of voters in this country, still refuse to understand that all of the ‘Political Parties’ currently in Parliament, have the same GLOBALIST GOVERNMENT AGENDA. Eventually it is hoped, that enough one race privilege will lead to civil unrest & total population disharmony. Result; marshal law, giving government TOTAL control. Think this is far fetched, Just watch this space.. | A.G.R. |
| Absolutely not Maori are already privileged in the commercial area by tax concessions | Gareth |
| The Maoris can go and ___ themselves | Graham |
| Maori are human aren’t they ? | Terry |
| SEPARATISM WHEN IT SUITS SOME ! | Bryan |
| Of course Maori should not be exempted. However we have come to expect this nonsense from this and the last govt. | Richard |
| One people one law. Why should Maori interests receive special conditions. What #ell do Labour think they are doing. I want this Labour Government GONE Gone gone….. | Carl |
| It is not a treaty issue. | Kelvin |
| ‘ Maori ‘ History coming under increasing pressure / scrutiny for malicious fraud as more evidence continues to be shown to exist differing now and the Government top level knows of this information! | Rodney |
| Climate change does not discriminate against one race over another, it affects every person on the planet. | John |
| No way. Never!! | John |
| “We are one” isn’t that what the PM said so we should all be paying our way. | Brian |
| They all drive cars etc | Catherine |
| No, but I don’t see the relevance as I believe the whole “Zero Carbon Sham” needs to die a quick death, as it’s New Zealand’s version of America’s “Green New Deal”. | Pavel |
| theres no Maori only part | Brian |
| Of course not, but that won’t change the current practice of governments to favour Maori in every new law. | Terry |
| If we all have to contribute then we all have to pay our fair share (Having said that the whole thing is rubbish anyway) | Rob |
| If three quarters of the human race were to stop breathing for about an hour there would be no problem with carbon dioxide really quickly. | rod |
| One for all and all for one | Colin |
| That is just crazy! | Jan |
| It seems that Maori will be cared for as far as mitigating the negative effects of the new bill whereas the rest of us are going to be impoverished. Racism! | Jenny |
| Of course not, we are all humans. | Kate |
| Creating a further divided society . Will do Anything to retain the Maori seats !!! | Peter |
| Very depressing reading, Ardern and Shaw should be taken to court for misleading the people. | Graham. |
| No way no special privilege for Maori | Ian |
| No special deals for Maori | Ian |
| WHY? Are we not one Nation? | Doug |
| Not especially, but all food producers should be exempt from this absurd nonsense and adverse results should be accounted for by those who vote this legislation into being. i.e. Government Ministers should be held accountable for the damage they cause by their stupidity. No body should have to submit to this unproven scientifically nonsensical climate science. What we need to do is to stop human beings from breeding. Leave the cows alone. Methane is produced by rotting organic material, most of which is produced by wetlands and human waste. Reduce the worlds population by half a billion every 5 years until we are down to 4 billion and the World will be utopian. | Dianna |
| Definitely NOT. One standard for all. Absolute outrage if one group is given preference because of race. We all live on the same planet. | Willy |
| N.Z. has ONE LAW for ALL so WHY are maoris getting SPECIAL TREATMENT when OVER 65% of N.Zealanders will SUFFER thanks to jacinda,james shaw ETC | Cindy |
| More race legislation. Wake up nz | Bev |
| Are we not supposed to be one nation one people. Main stream NZ is getting a little sick and tired of special privileges awarded to an ethnic minority group. | Bob |
| What is happening to Godzone? The madness continues. | Peter |
| W H Y? | W H Y |
| Everyone should be exempted. It is a nonsense. | Gail |
| Only one word describes this policy by the looney left govt…..RACIST !!! | David |
| Labour is unashamedly courting the Maori vote. | Brian |
| Absolutely not ! | DICK |
| I’m sick and tired of Maori being treated better than other NZ citizens | Wayne |
| most kiwis have had a gutsfull of maori apartheid and racist treatment. We need one set of rules for every one !!!. | Norman |
| Why introduce apartheid into NZ? | John |
| maori have no rights superior to any other New Zealander | John |
| Absolutely NOT! | Alastair |
| This whole “zero carbon” frenzy is a total crock. Time to resurrect King Canute. | Philip |
| Institutional apartheid again | Bryan |
| Once again we are being led down the garden path CO2 has increased in the atmosphere by some 9% in recent years but the worlds temperature has not increased at all over the last 18 years This whole proposal will destroy our nation and must be resisted. Where is the opposition Where are the voices of reason and Where are the Nats And no Maori should not be exempt from anything based purely on race | Robin |
| Why would Maori be treated any different to any other NZ citizen | Steven |
| sea and seabed and foreshore for all people of nz | Owen |
| No more special treatment for Maoris. They are New Zealanders like any body else and the greed of the IWI and there corrupt bosses continues to appall me. The Waitangi Tribunal should be scrapped urgently before they start another one of their every more ridiculous claims | Colin |
| Absolutely not, we all live in this country together. | Ken |
| But the bill should also be canned | John |
| We are all ONE People | David |
| Of course they should not. Why should they be exempted?. Are they officially no longer a part of our society?They are not deserving of special privileges. The whole carbon emissions scheme is a hoax and our government is acting childishly, blindly , trying to achieve ‘brownie points’ internationally. A reputation, at the cost of selling out the country. It is irresponsible, even criminal, to act without being properly informed. Have we no real scientists in New Zealand who are not afraid to stand up to the bullying which has driven this issue.so far. Even using school children who haven’t a clue are being encouraged by the media to push the issue. Why can we not put a little faith in our own independent scientists to give us some sound understanding. The ‘herd mentality’ is pushing NZ towards destruction. | Harvey |
| It is time to look for a political party that will stop this racism. I suggest looking at the New Conservative Party. We can discuss all this racism and political correctness till we’re blue but we need to act peacefully and that is vote for the party that is fair. I’ve been watching them for 7 months and they have walked the talk and all I ask is you study them as well before making a commitment. | Jack P |
| Absolutely not. Racial preference incompletely unjustifiable | Bob |
| WTFF | mARCEL |
| They should be subjected to the same Self-immolation Greens Bill as the rest of us. I would call it the ‘Return to the Dinosaur Age Bill’ where humans were virtually non-existent. | David |
| We are being led by Ardern and her coalition buddies to do the bidding of the UN which wants to take control of world governments and their policies. We MUST resist!! And where is the weak rudderless National opposition? | RObert |
| How can they be exempt when they contribute to it.What colour is carbon.? | Ross |
| No more apartheid please | Peter |
| More flagrant racism from the government | Bruce |
| Absolutely no way !!! | Murray |
| By what special Right does any group have special consideration that usurps a citizens right, by reason of their ethnic origin. Maori interests especially maori Trusts operated by an extremely limited elite need to be normalized t that of every other interest, in law , in taxation and in rights. | Richard |
| Absolute nonsense …. Anyway .. What is a Maori ? | Alan |
| Another nail in the “separatist” plank. Dividing our nation by stealth. | kabe |
| Maori privilege, Maori First, Maori automatic entitlements etc., Im doing a lot of genealogy to see if I can find a drop of Maori blood in my background. | Peter |
| No extra privileges or rights should be given to Maori as we are all one nation with ideas for being 1 people only. | Rex |
| One NZ – One set of rules for everyone | Calvyn |
| You can bet the Maori Corporations will be laughing up their sleeves. Not tax, no carbon tax, more dosh to line the pockets of the few at the top. This Government is fulfilling and encouraging the Maori mantra ” the Government owes us a living. We do not have to and will not work because hand-outs are guaranteed. James Shaw is playing into their greedy hands… | Robyn |
| Of course they shouldn’t be exempt. They only want equality when it suits their vested interests. | Trevor |
| It would be another nail in the coffin of a country catering to everyone equally. | Murray |
| they should have the same rights and obligation of all New Zealanders | Tony |
| The question is “WHY”. The suggestion is ludicrous. What this idiotic government is saying surely undermines what they are supposedly trying to achieve. One rule for Maori and one for everyone else – racism to the degree- again. | Chris |
| More racism from this govt | Rod |
| Same law for everybody. | Graham |
| Truth be told we should all be exempted from this stupid bill. | Brooke |
| more racism in NZ. All groups should be treated the same under NZ law | eira |
| Is there no end to this political correctness, which treats Maori as ‘special people’, even though the idea of a ‘Treaty partnership’ is a myth? This country is steadily heading towards a two-tier system of citizenship, whereby non-Maori are to be treated as second class citizens. The Zero Carbon Bill is a piece of social engineering based on falsehood; our ‘transparent, open and honest’ government is lying through its teeth. the worst part, however, is that most of the general public either don’t realise this, or simply don’t care. | Graham |
| Maori have no right for an exemption than any other group and that the zero carbon bill is just another example of this loony Governments mentality .Time for a change come on National show some courage .and protest.. | ken |
| How can you have a zero carbon bill if it’s implementations do not apply to some ?? Also tell me how you are going to reduce or remove the massive emissions caused naturally. Man is only a small amount of so called harmful emissions. | Alan |
| All producers should be treated equally! | Ji |
| don’t theses so called Maoris also live here on this planet. what makes them any different from everyone else | neil |
| Of course not! Ridiculous. | Joe |
| No way should Maori be exempt from the Zero Carbon Bill. I hope the Bill does not get through., but ends in a waste paper basket. | Frank |
| This is ridiculous. The majority of CO2 emissions (i.e. 99%) are from USA, China and India. If NZ stopped it’s emissions overnight, it would have ZERO effect on the world CO2 emissions. Now, THAT would be a real ZERO effect ! | Doug |
| ” They are us” so why special treatment? | Tom |
| Yet another example of reverse racism. | Les |
| to many racist laws already | ken |
| We should all be exempt. Race based legislation again. | Wayne |
| We all live in the same country and share the same climate. Stop the apartheid! | Mark |
| We all Work, Eat & Drink to live. We All Need the same things in life , We all have the same impact on the land. | Stan |
| Here we go again with separation between Maori and Non Maori, really pits friends and fellow kiwis against one another. No one should be exempt from anything. | Barbara |
| Separatism much? | Neil |
| This Bill affects EVERYONE so “special consideration” for any group is not appropriate. Please make a submission. | Ian |
| Is it not a fact that all our life on earth will die when there is zero carbon (emissions)? | Cyril |
| If the carbon zero scheme is so good for the country why should maori be exempted. Next thing that will happen is that Maori farming entities will be tax exempt! | Errol |
| Absolutely not. They must not be exempt from anything that the rest of the population are subjected to. It’s clearly Racist as is so often the case. | Don |
| If this Bill was to proceed to law, all Kiwi’s will suffer as a result. Already the effects of the further decimation of the small rural communities can be seen in the Tararua District as productive farm land is being brought up by foreign and local businesses (AIR NEW ZEALAND) to off set their own so called carbon footprint. Any financial return on this foolhardy game is a long term one at the very best, say maybe 30 years, other that the sale and purchase of “carbon credits” at an unknown value. If the UN wants some more left thinkers, they are welcome to all three of our “leaders”l | Barry |
| It is stupid for NZ to take a lead in climate change issues, as we contribute a tiny percentage of the world’s emissions. | Russell |
| Outright racism. | Norm |
| Definitely not. | George |
| One law for all! regardless of colour or creed!! | Brian |
| No they should not. I and many thousands of New Zealanders are absolutely sick of Maori claims and all of the special treatment that they get. Unless the Treaty and the Tribunal are scrapped this country is doomed | Mike |
| Present govt. is ruining NZ. | Don |
| A big fat NO!! I’m totally fed up with the words ‘Maori Interests’. We should all be treated the same. This country is rapidly going to hell in a hand cart. The Opposition seems to have lost its voice or its common sense. Where is a strong Party with some common sense? | Helen |
| Good gracious what next. What’s so special about them, surely we are ALL ONE NATION. They are the ones causing inverse racism. Get a life, literally, come into the real world, stop expecting a hand out for everything. | Audrey |
| HELL NO, why? are they not users of the same products as others, for heavens sake stop treating part maori as being poor and downtrodden.the truth of climate change change?is of course the activity of our sun and not what humans do, got it?.all you stupid carbonites | James |
| The bill is crap science anyway. We all should be exempt. | Ian |
| I’m staggered that it should even be considered. | David |
| Maori is not unique, they are a member of New Zealand Society therefore suffer the same as many of us under this government. I am awaiting the day when Greenies can stop volcanoes erupting, forest fires blazing, the earth emitting its own carbons, then maybe zero carbon can be looked at. Until then stop being hand wringing twits and gather plastic at least that will save some of our precious animals. | Elizabeth |
| Of course not! That’s the very definition of apartheid-but then the Zero Carbon Bill is an unnecessary measure anyway-a total waste of time. | Roger |
| But that is not the real issue. The real concern is that this bunch of fanatics are enacting such damaging legislation. Particularly so in light of so much contrary scientific evidence which main stream media ignore. | Mike |
| Is this for real? | John |
| Definitely not. Do maori not benefit from the current economy? | alan |
| I thought that racism was not legal. Silly me. | Alec |
| The zero carbon bill is socialistic insanity. Every kiwi will be hurt by this atrocity. | Bruce |
| What is this, separate rights for a certain group of N Zers AGAIN. And by doing that, these idiots are saying, ‘Carbon emissions don’t matter anyway’ And if there is a Zero Carbon Bill looming that also means we have to stop breathing because what we breathe out is Carbon , go figure. | Geoff |
| Firstly, the zero carbon bill is based on a lie so is “illegitimate”. Secondly, those of native descent seem to believe they are the chosen ones, and are always exempt from, or “entitled to” everything they decide qualifies. Problem is subsequent governments are frightened of offending the natives. There are changes in the wind because there is a groundswell that is rejecting the present corruption and lies. | Neil |
| We should ALL be exempted from the adverse effects of this utterly mad bill. I am close to despair at the damage this insane government is causing under Jackboots Jacinda. | David |
| of course not !! | Peter |
| Such an idea is blatantly racist. One law for everyone – no exceptions for this notion of “partnership” – there is nothing in the Treaty about “partnership”. “Sovereignty yes, but “partnership” no. Who’s this government trying to please or appease? | Laurence |
| Do Maori interests not cause any carbon emissions?? | Bruce |
| More racial separatism based on the premise that a people, strategically re-defined by an act of parliament, should get preferential treatment. I cannot understand why 85% of the population (and more) continue to allow themselves to be bullied by Government and Local bodies (complying with “non-binding” U.N. doctrine) in their quest for maori elite to own or control ALL OF NEW ZEALANDS land, coast, policy and law. | Bruce C |
| Apatheid | Tim |
| NZ has many ethnicities but we should all be treated as one. Exemptions by race is racism. | Nick |
| We are ONE!!!!!! Are we not? Wait and watch, with interest. | Grahame |
| Another racially based policy ! P.C bull ! This has got to stop. The Maori should be treated EXACTLY the same as the rest of the population, no IF’S no BUTS….. !! | Andrew |
| If they are imposing a carbon tax needs to be across the board no exemptions | Russell |
| Every person is equal in NZ – there should be no favoured status for any ethnicity. There are other mechanism to address disparity and they should be applied across the board by need. | Philip |
| This bill should not be passed in its current form. But if, horrors, it is, there should be no exemptions on the basis of race. To even suggest such is akin to admitting that it will have negative impacts on people, so why should we suffer and a particular group not? Presumably by receiving subsidies that others wouldn’t. | Allan |
| The whole of NZ should be exempt. CONCENTRATE on the environment. NOT the atmosphere. | RICHard |
| Enough is enough | Graeme |
| When will this madness stop? | Bruce |
| I thought Maori’s were New Zealander’s. How about 1 law for all. | Warwick |
| Apartheid live and well in Nz.Just another unfair concession to Maori .Those people who consider themselves Maori like to be referred to as ‘our people’.Facts show ‘our people’ represent the majority of crime.child and welfare abuse,house and land neglect,educational resistance and yet enjoy continued special assistance from our politicians..Maybe white Nz will fight back one day but don’t hold your breath. | Don |
| WHY SHOULD THEY??? | Bill |
| My comment is unprintable | Merryl |
| I believe all interests should be exempted from any adverse impact of the proposed zero carbon bill, what is the point of shutting down carbon producing industry only to then import that product from countries that are not as virtue signalling as ours, coal and oil will continue to be used until it runs out, anyone who believes otherwise has their head in the sand. | John |
| Absolutely not. We should all go down like a ball of flames together. Bring on our third-world status and our join misery. | Sharon |
| We have enough racism in our legislation already! | Mike |
| More racially based nonsense – Governor Hobson when the Treaty was signed said ‘we are now one people’ – 180 years later there are more racially based Maori benefits every year. The fact is that we are more and more becoming two societies in NZ – Maori and non- Maori with the latter just as to blame by allowing this to happen | Hylton |
| What makes people with Maori heritage so special ??? These part Maori already enjoy tax free status with their tribal trusts which is starting to make them very rich and powerful . It is long over due to define what a Maori , these white Maoris are getting far to influential and rich via the I am a Maori route | Jock |
| What happened to “one country- One people”? | Donald |
| Here we go again toeing the line for the line for the UN cabal | K |
| You can not discriminate between one group and another, that would allow maori to have coal fired power stations etc belching black clouds | Colin |
| If we are serious about climate change, there should be no exemptions and definitely not by race | Greg |
| EQUALITY!!. That’s what we’re striving to achieve in NZ…NOT this continued racist divisiveness being promoted by a certain pressure group. | Tony |
| What the hell has ethnicity got to do with this issue?? | Kelvin |
| Absolute nonsense that Maori get any preferential treatment we are ONE as Jacinda stated. | Gregor |
| Racist racism racist racists | Cutty |
| This is another instance of apartheid at work. Why do the country’s politicians, national and local, continue to pander to the Maori? Unfortunately a vociferous few are standing in the wings with their hands out waiting for gold to drop into them without having to do anything productive to earn the gold. That seems a lot like our politicians | Tony |
| Absolutely no exemption. Another example of racial discrimination | David |
| If we are one people, there can only ever be one answer. Treatment of us all must be equal. | Jim |
| We should all be exempt! | Dorothy |
| Yet another exemption for Maori. When will this stop ??? | Kevin |
| Are we a racist nation now ? | tony |
| what is going on in NZ politics when minority groups( Greens 5%,Maori 5%)are dictating the terms with emotional and mythical ideology .As for Maori being excluded from theZCB ,lets all claim Maori blood | Mike |
| The Maori vote is vital for the Labour party to stay in power. So Santa Claus will always be with Labour to keep that voting block on side. | Alan |
| Since the entire ‘Climate Change crisis’ is nothing more than a globalist ploy to control everyone to further their nefarious agenda, it should be opposed with everything we’ve got! | Allan |
| Most definitely not but then their buildings don’t need permits when built either – how many others have no permits | William |
| Name a reason why they should be exempt | Peter |
| This Bill is dreadful. It will destroy NZ. But where is the opposition in parliament? It is unbelievable that National is going along with it. | David |
| How outrageous that the Bill exempts Maori – how could Winston Peters have agreed to that??? | Simon |
| This Bill is enough to make me want to go to live in Australia. At least they speak out about these things there, and common sense seems to prevail in the end. And as for exempting Maori – that leaves me speechless! | Donna |
| This Bill will lead to the destruction of rural NZ – and for no good reason. The whole thing is a political beat up. | Brian |
| Race-based privilege is escalating under Labour. NZ is turning into an apartheid nation. | Phil |