2 July 2008

Open letter receives closed response

John Key has finally responded to Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons' open letter in which she requested details of National's preferred Emissions Trading Scheme.

Ms Fitzsimons says she is extremely disappointed at Key's uninformative response, in which he says 'I note the concerns and issues you raised' but declines to answer any of the specific questions put to him.

"It is extremely important that the voting public and business investors know what the National Party position is on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)," Ms Fitzsimons says.

"The ETS has been described as 'the most significant economic measure to come before Parliament' but still National will not inform New Zealand what it is they would do differently if in Government.

"I am further puzzled as to why this letter is dated the 1st of July, when I was told a week ago that a meaningful response was ready to be dispatched.

"Today's evasion of my very specific questions, using phrases like "the ETS needs to be implemented in a careful and considered way", suggests that John has been advised not to provide a meaningful response on this urgent issue, and to continue to keep New Zealand in the dark.

"This kind of advice would infer that either National doesn't have any better ideas than Labour or that their position is one which would prove unpopular to the wider public, and therefore they are better off fudging answers and evading questions.

"I look forward to taking up John's invitation to meet with Bill English and Nick Smith, as long as they are prepared to provide some real answers to my questions. However, I'm not interested in receiving information about their position which can't be shared with the public," Ms Fitzsimons says.

ENDS

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