Nick Smith

By Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, Dec 2 NZPA - Labour is accusing the new National Government of damaging New Zealand's international reputation and affecting the outcome of climate negotiations by eroding green policies.

Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith confirmed to NZPA that officials were working towards scrapping biofuels obligations.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday indicated National would not progress the former Labour Government's plan to implement a new standard for lightbulbs, which would see old incandescent lightbulbs phased out by the end of next year.

National never committed to a 15 year $1 billion fund to insulate homes, which Labour had promised but had not included in the budget.

Labour Party climate change spokesman Charles Chauvel said those factors came on top of more major developments; such as National's decision to suspend the emissions trading scheme (ETS).

"Its every little bit, it's not lightbulbs, it's not just biofuels, it's not just the $1 billion retro fit, its not just suspending the ETS it's the whole package that's starting to look pretty worrying," he said.

Minister in charge of international climate negotiations Tim Groser heads to Poznan in Poland on Monday where United Nations climate change talks are underway.

Mr Chauvel said New Zealand was not in a good position.

"I am really worried that we are sending our negotiators to Poznan and they are asking for the New Zealand situation to be understood on things like primary production and forestry offsets," he said.

Negotiators would be in a strong position if they were able to show the world New Zealand was doing its bit and had a world leading ETS, he said.

"(With) the ETS plus the complementary measures, the entire package designed to do our bit, then we probably would have got a sympathetic hearing. As it is my fear is they will be laughed out of the negotiations."

Dr Smith said Labour had been big on rhetoric but not on real outcomes.

"I think there's a huge credibility gap for New Zealand left by Labour's legacy of New Zealand being a world leader on climate change when over the past nine years it had the third worst increase in emissions.

"The new government is not going to talk about New Zealand being a world leader, or the first carbon neutral country in the world, our policy is about New Zealand doing its fair share and a lot less rhetoric and some more practical actions."

Asked if New Zealand's stance on the ETS would affect negotiations Dr Smith said the debate about emissions trading policy was being hotly debated in the United States and Australia.

"The debate in New Zealand is not that different."

While the last government had made big pledges other countries were aware of its emissions' record.

"The real problem for New Zealand in Poland is... the fact that our emissions have grown so strongly."

Dr Smith said the government had asked officials to work on implementing policies which included dropping legal biofuels obligations.

National intends to set standards for the fuel and incentivise use by exempting it from excise tax or road user charges.

Officials were also working on introducing an exemption on road user charges for electric cars.

"Officials are doing work across the board on implementing National's pre-election promises."

Mr Chauvel also drew a connection between a British Government proposal to impose an environment tax on flights which affects New Zealand which was made just before Mr Key was to meet British PM Gordon Brown.

"You know I don't think that would have happened if immediately before leaving the country John Key hadn't announced the suspension of the ETS and this balmy select committee that's going to question all the science on climate change."

However the tax increase -- part of a wider financial stimulus package -- affects all countries with Australia and New Zealand both in the worst hit category as they were the furthest away.

Dr Smith said Mr Chauvel was drawing "a very long bow" to say there was any connection.

He was also disappointed a Labour MP would try to make "cheap politics" out of the issue when Mr Key was trying to advance New Zealand's interests and the comments were churlish.

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