﻿Mr SPEAKER: Question No 2, James Shaw.
JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green)
to the PM: Does he stand by all his statements?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (PM): Can I just begin
by congratulating the member on his election as co-leader
of the Green Party. In response to the question,
the answer is yes.
James Shaw: Does he stand by his statement about
the Green Party, made this morning, that “We’re not saying
"we’re opposed to working with them on issues,
"but we work with every political party on issues.”;
if so, does he see climate change as an issue worth working on?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In answer to the first part of the question, yes.
James Shaw: Does he believe that the 1993
cross-party accord on superannuation is an example
of consensus politics that has been positive for the country;
if so, why will he not seek to build cross-party consensus
on climate change, given that both are examples of issues
that carry an enormous potential cost to taxpayers?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I think that the Government
has been quite clear about climate change.
It has got the emissions trading scheme, and it is
in the process of going through a consultation process
on what our post-2020 targets should be.
I think what is very clear is that the Greens’ perspective
on what NZers should have to pay when it comes
to climate change is far more significant than what
the Government believes the economy can bear.
A target of a 40% reduction on 1990 levels would be
disastrous for the NZ economy.
James Shaw: Which of the following options creates
a better framework for NZ businesses to thrive:
option A, a stable, predictable, and sensible price signal on carbon
that is backed by all major political parties;
or option B, policy settings that change
with every change of Government?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Option C: do not vote for a change
of Government and you will get continuity.
James Shaw: Is he aware of the cross-party accord
in the United Kingdom on climate change,
signed by David Cameron, Nick Clegg, and Ed Miliband;
and given the success of that accord there,
why is he not open to negotiating a similar—[Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order!
The member has every right to ask this question,
and I wish it to be heard.
The member can start his question again.
James Shaw: Is he aware of the cross-party accord
in the United Kingdom on climate change, and,
given the success of that accord there,
why is he not open to negotiating a similar
arrangement here in NZ?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: If the member is going to model himself
on Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband, I suggest that while he is having
his welcoming and congratulatory drinks, that he also has
his farewell drinks.
James Shaw: So is he—
Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
[MEMBERS INTERJECT]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.
Rt Hon Winston Peters: I listened to that question
very carefully, and to the answer as well.
The question was asked twice.
The answer in no way sought to address the question.
Mr SPEAKER: I have some sympathy for the point of view
that the member is raising, but the difficulty that I have
is that the first question asked, which then caused some disorder,
mentioned some other names that were not
in the supplementary question. On that basis—
I agree that it was a marginal call—I decided to proceed
with the question as asked, and the PM, in answering it,
referred to some parts of the first question
that were not exactly repeated in the second supplementary question.
James Shaw: Is the PM saying that we in NZ cannot achieve
something that bitter rivals in the UK can achieve
by putting their differences aside on the issue of climate change,
and since when did he set his political sights so low?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is quite clear
that different political parties have different views
when it comes to climate change. What is true
is the Government is going through a consultation process
for the target that it intends to take to Paris.
If the member wants to have his political party
actually go through the process and put in a submission
as part of the consultation process, the Government
will consider it along with all other submissions.
James Shaw: Why will he not put politics aside
and seek to work with other parties to reach a lasting
and durable cross-party agreement on the climate
that puts in place an emissions reduction target
that NZers can be proud of?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is pretty clear that the Greens
want to have a reduction target that is significantly
greater than what either the economy or consumers
can afford, or what would be fair. When the member says
that he wants to have discussion and consultation
with the Government, what he really means is that he wants
the Government to see it the Greens’ way,
and, in my view, that would be disastrous for the economy.
Mr SPEAKER: Question No 3.
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