Parliamentary majority close on carbon credit issue
The Kyoto Forestry Association (KFA) says answers by Foreign Minister Winston Peters to parliamentary questions today have confirmed to forest owners that a parliamentary majority is emerging to reach a sensible resolution to the contentious issue of ownership of post-1990 carbon credits.
“Mr Peters’ New Zealand First Party has always been a friend of the forestry industry and has opposed the 2002 confiscation, with former New Zealand First MP Jim Peters strongly criticising it in 2004 as arbitrary,†KFA spokesman Roger Dickie said today.
“Forest owners understand that Mr Peters’ position as Foreign Minister makes it difficult for him to disagree with the Labour-led Government on a matter with an international dimension, such as the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol in New Zealand. Forest owners therefore understand the significance of Mr Peters, under questioning in Parliament today, not resiling from his party’s previous position on the confiscation, nor endorsing the Government’s view that it owns the credits that forestry investors have earned since 1990. Those New Zealanders who invested in forestry in the 1990s as a way of putting something aside for their retirements will be particularly grateful to Mr Peters for his consistency on this matter.â€Â
Mr Dickie said Mr Peters’ answers in Parliament today gave hope to forest owners that a sensible resolution to the carbon credit issue could be achieved.
“The Maori, ACT, National and Green parties have all indicated that they believe getting tree planting underway again requires a resolution that will see forest owners receive at least some of the value of credits they have earned by planting trees since 1990. National Leader John Key and Green co-Leader Russel Norman have both publicly reconfirmed their parties’ positions on this matter in the last week.
“With New Zealand First also being a long-standing supporter of the forestry industry on this matter, parties representing 67 seats in Parliament – a clear majority – appear willing to work out a solution.
“Parliament exceeded the public’s expectations on the smacking debate. It would be good if the National, Green, New Zealand First, Maori and ACT parties could make similar progress on the carbon credit debate. Co-operation amongst those parties would lead to a far more constructive outcome for New Zealand than Forestry Minister Jim Anderton’s constant slagging off of the very industry he is meant to represent.â€Â
Mr Dickie said United Future could also be part of the solution, with it officially uncommitted on the question of carbon credit ownership.
“Mr Peters’ New Zealand First Party has always been a friend of the forestry industry and has opposed the 2002 confiscation, with former New Zealand First MP Jim Peters strongly criticising it in 2004 as arbitrary,†KFA spokesman Roger Dickie said today.
“Forest owners understand that Mr Peters’ position as Foreign Minister makes it difficult for him to disagree with the Labour-led Government on a matter with an international dimension, such as the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol in New Zealand. Forest owners therefore understand the significance of Mr Peters, under questioning in Parliament today, not resiling from his party’s previous position on the confiscation, nor endorsing the Government’s view that it owns the credits that forestry investors have earned since 1990. Those New Zealanders who invested in forestry in the 1990s as a way of putting something aside for their retirements will be particularly grateful to Mr Peters for his consistency on this matter.â€Â
Mr Dickie said Mr Peters’ answers in Parliament today gave hope to forest owners that a sensible resolution to the carbon credit issue could be achieved.
“The Maori, ACT, National and Green parties have all indicated that they believe getting tree planting underway again requires a resolution that will see forest owners receive at least some of the value of credits they have earned by planting trees since 1990. National Leader John Key and Green co-Leader Russel Norman have both publicly reconfirmed their parties’ positions on this matter in the last week.
“With New Zealand First also being a long-standing supporter of the forestry industry on this matter, parties representing 67 seats in Parliament – a clear majority – appear willing to work out a solution.
“Parliament exceeded the public’s expectations on the smacking debate. It would be good if the National, Green, New Zealand First, Maori and ACT parties could make similar progress on the carbon credit debate. Co-operation amongst those parties would lead to a far more constructive outcome for New Zealand than Forestry Minister Jim Anderton’s constant slagging off of the very industry he is meant to represent.â€Â
Mr Dickie said United Future could also be part of the solution, with it officially uncommitted on the question of carbon credit ownership.