164 posts | 1 images
Nick entered parliament in 1990 as the youngest MP ever and the first National MP in Tasman since 1932, then following the MMP reforms in 1996, was elected the first Nelson National MP since 1954. He continues to hold the seat with a comfortable majority. A Minister in the National Government he has held the portfolios of Education, Corrections, Assoc Minister of Immigration, Treaty Negotiations and Social Welfare. At present he is National Party Spokesman for Environment/RMA, Energy and Building & Construction, in addition to being the Caucus representative on the National Party Board nick.smith@national.org.nz
Management of waterways and native flora and fauna near farm land will be improved as a result of a funding boost for the New Zealand Landcare Trust, Environment Minister Nick Smith announced today at the premiere of the film Water Whisperers Tangaroa in Takaka, Golden Bay.
165 views
Environment Minister Nick Smith today launched a $2 million programme to install hundreds of public recycling bins around New Zealand in preparation for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
180 views
Environment Minister Nick Smith today announced $1.15 million in grants from the Waste Minimisation Fund for eDay 2010 and new e-waste processing facilities.
125 views
WELLINGTON — Transmission Gully has moved a step closer today with Environment Minister Nick Smith referring a vital plan change to an independent Board of Inquiry.
128 views
New Zealand needs to follow the lead of Victoria, Australia where the serious injury rate for registered motorcyclists has fallen 20% since a safety levy was introduced eight years ago, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.
120 views
New regulations requiring councils to provide a discount for late processing of resource consents come into effect tomorrow and will reduce delays and help the economic recovery, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
194 views
CANTERBURY — Environment Minister Nick Smith has given his approval for Environment Canterbury Commissioners to place a moratorium on new water takes from the Hurunui River and its tributaries from 23 July 2010 to 1 October 2011.
165 views
CANTERBURY — The passing of the Government's Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill through Parliament today is the first step to improving Canterbury's water management, says Environment Minister Nick Smith and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide.
264 views
Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith today announced the Government's proposed regulations for allowing the clearance of some tree weeds without penalty under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
778 views
The Government's reforms of ACC are all about ensuring the scheme is affordable and sustainable for future generations, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.
217 views
CANTERBURY — Environment Minister Nick Smith today called in three large dairy effluent discharge consents in the Mackenzie Basin and established a board of inquiry to decide on the applications.
385 views
City and district councils will today receive their first payment of waste levy funding collected under the Waste Minimisation Act, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
466 views
CANTERBURY — "The Government recognises the level of public interest in major proposals for intensive dairying in the McKenzie basin and is considering options for intervention", Environment Minister Nick Smith said today.
773 views
The Government yesterday released a consultation document as a first step in the process of allocating emission units to industry under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.
230 views
ACC levies for workers, employers and motorists will increase next year but less than those recommended by the ACC Board, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.
299 views
The Government has secured the support of the Māori Party to enable New Zealand to implement an affordable and workable emissions trading scheme next year, Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.
234 views
ACC minister Nick Smith responded to today's motorcycle protest over proposed ACC levy increases by highlighting the significant increase in fatalities and claims from motorcycle accidents.
252 views
Parliament needs to pass amendments to the existing Emissions Trading Scheme prior to Christmas to make it workable and affordable, Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.
240 views
Criticism in today's Guardian is a reminder of the risk to New Zealand of not taking climate change seriously and ensuring our actions match our words, Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.
261 views
It is a bit rich for Labour to today be protesting increases in ACC levies given it was its financial mismanagement that created the problem, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.
261 views
ACC Minister Nick Smith today announced that he has requested that ACC commission an independent clinical review in six months' time of its new approach to managing sensitive claims.
212 views
Minister for the Environment Nick Smith today released a report on the processing of TrustPower's application to operate a hydro-scheme on the Wairau River.
264 views
Environment Minister Nick Smith has today welcomed the release of league tables that rank the water quality of New Zealand's major rivers.
602 views
Changes in ACC are needed to make the scheme affordable, sustainable and fair, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.
186 views
The Government's environmental agenda is about rolling back Nanny State regulations and achieving better environmental outcomes through financial incentives, says Environment & Climate Change Minister Nick Smith.
182 views
Environment Minister Nick Smith today welcomed the report back to Parliament on the Resource Management Amendment Bill saying the recommendations will cut through costly red tape without compromising environmental protections.
167 views
Labour's claims that the Government has exaggerated by tenfold the costs of a 10% to 20% emissions reduction target announced yesterday raises serious questions about the economic literacy of the Opposition.
176 views
Climate Change Ministers Nick Smith and Tim Groser today announced an emissions reduction target range of 10% to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020.
154 views
ACC Minister Nick Smith today announced the terms of reference and membership of the steering group for the stocktake of ACC that will look at how the scheme can remain affordable for families, businesses and the Government.
178 views
Achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2020 would cost $17.5 billion, put power prices up by 30% and require the equivalent of seven Clyde Dams being built, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith says.
305 views
Achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2020 would cost $17.5 billion, put power prices up by 30% and require the equivalent of seven Clyde Dams being built, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith says.
208 views
MAPUA — The audit report on the remediation of the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company site in Mapua has confirmed the land is now fit for residential, commercial and open space use – subject to certain conditions.
905 views
MAPUA — Environment Minister Nick Smith today confirmed details of a public meeting to be held in Mapua on 31 July where residents will find out results of key reports into the state of a former contaminated site.
779 views
New reports released today on the economic and forestry aspects of climate change policy will help inform Government decisions on New Zealand’s 2020 emissions target and policy on emissions trading, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith says.
174 views
Forest and Bird's claim that the Government plans "wide-scale privatisation" of the South Island high country is complete rubbish, says Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson.
235 views
WELLINGTON — The Government today began a process of public consultation on New Zealand’s 2020 emissions target with a public meeting in Wellington last night.
401 views
“An important part of the Government’s strategy to address fresh water quality is improving the standard and frequency of monitoring”, Environment Minister Nick Smith said today in addressing Fish & Game New Zealand’s annual staff conference.
321 views
The Government today introduced a bill into the House amending technical aspects of the timing of the emissions trading scheme relating to forestry.
461 views
A joint report by economic consultants NZIER and Infometrics concludes that a modified emissions trading scheme is the best way forward for New Zealand on climate change policy.
199 views
Changes in law and practice are needed to address the record number of late resource consents, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith said today.
209 views
New Zealand's air quality standards need reviewing to ensure they are practical and achievable, Environment Minister Nick Smith announced today.
1,305 views
A new process to improve New Zealand's fresh water management was today announced by Environment Minister Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David Carter.
287 views
New Zealand is now expected to exceed its Kyoto target by 9.6 million tonnes a surplus worth an estimated $241 million, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith announced today.
220 views
Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, and New Zealand Minister for Climate Change Issues, Dr Nick Smith, met in Canberra today to discuss climate change and water issues.
354 views
Ă‚Â Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, and New Zealand Minister for Climate Change Issues, Dr Nick Smith, met in Canberra today to discuss climate change and water issues.
333 views
ACC Minister Nick Smith today announced the appointment of former Ernst & Young Chief Executive John Judge as the new chair of the board of ACC replacing Ross Wilson.
127 views
Changes to the Resource Management Act will simplify and streamline processes without compromising environmental protections, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
136 views
MAPUA — New Environment Minister Nick Smith today released the independent report commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment into its handling of the Mapua contaminated site clean-up near Nelson.
852 views
New Zealand needs to build a broader consensus about how to make progress on climate change issues, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith said today in releasing the terms of reference for the select committee to review the Emissions Trading Scheme and related matters.
123 views
Officials are recommending an increase in earners levies of $1.337 billion over the next three years to cover significant increased costs of the ACC Earners' Account that funds non-work accidents involving employees.
115 views
New Zealand needs to give careful consideration to the design of the Australian emissions trading scheme before passing the current bill, says National Party Climate Change spokesman Nick Smith.
136 views
The cost of rushed, ill thought-out ETS legislation will be far more disastrous for this country than any minor delay while the details are worked out, says National's Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
159 views
A report in the National Business Review of secret talks between National and Labour on a deal over the Emissions Trading Scheme is complete nonsense, says National's Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
161 views
ROTORUA — The Labour Government has been asleep at the wheel in regards to the logging of 90-year-old forests on Crown land surrounding the Blue Lake, Tikitapu, in Rotorua, says National's Environment & Conservation spokesman, Nick Smith.
968 views
Treasury figures released today that put New Zealand's Kyoto liability at over $1 billion for the first time demonstrate the extent of Labour's climate change failure, says National's Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
171 views
The Government must heed the message of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that its biofuels bill is flawed and a risk to New Zealand's clean, green brand, says National's Environment spokesman, Dr Nick Smith.
179 views
A future National Government would introduce a $1,000 per household solar water heating grant and simplify the complex building consent rules for solar water heating in order to double the number of systems, says National's Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
1,327 views
Figures released today on deforestation are nothing short of an environmental disaster, says National's Climate Change spokesman, Dr Nick Smith.
665 views
An admission today that a Ministry for the Environment official attempted to threaten a submitter at a select committee is further proof of political interference in the public service, says National's Environment spokesman, Nick Smith.
151 views
The admission from Labour that New Zealand's Kyoto obligations have deteriorated from a $1.1 billion surplus in 2002, to a $967 million deficit now, confirms the extent of the failure of Labour's climate change policies, says National's Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
152 views
Revelations that Government officials suppressed parts of the recently-released State of the Environment report add weight to calls for such reports to be prepared by the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, says National's Environment spokesman, Nick Smith.
152 views
TASMAN — Revelations that the Department of Conservation spent $245,000 on a new architecturally designed toilet in the Nelson Lakes National Park illustrates a culture of extravagance within the Government, says National's Conservation spokesman and Nelson MP Nick Smith.
451 views
A research paper shows the health costs of leaky homes will exceed $474 million and cause an additional suicide each year, says National's Building spokesman Nick Smith.
529 views