Maori Party on ETS
Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, Co-leaders 20 October 2009

The Maori Party remains committed to working through the points of agreement reached between themselves and the National Party around the ETS.

“We have been interested to hear about the Select Committee’s consideration of submissions, and we look forward to their report,” said Co-leaders Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia.

“In the meantime we are reserving our position on the legislation until we see it in its final form,” they said.

Ends.

Key features negotiated between the Maori Party and the Government:

• Impacts of power and petrol price charges will be halved.
• A specific proposal to enhance the Government’s energy efficiency assistance (including home heating and insulation) for low income households.
• Treaty clause in the legislation to ensure Crown’s obligations to its Treaty partner are not compromised by the ETS.
• Recognition that iwi have issues with respect to deforestation provisions and their specific Treaty settlements where they have unknowingly been disadvantaged.
• A commitment from Government to work with iwi and the Maori Party to find solutions for iwi with forests returned in Treaty settlements pre-ETS.
• Climate Change Iwi Leadership Group to play an ongoing role in international negotiations to allow for offsetting.
• Potential for Treaty partners to be jointly involved in afforestation programmes to deliver both climate change and biodiversity benefits.
• Maori Party to be consulted closely on review of the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative and terms of reference and membership of the reference group.
• Allocation of NZUs to iwi quota holders in respect of the fisheries industry.
• Maori Party to be consulted, and iwi agricultural interests represented, in an agricultural advisory group.
• Maori Party input into a National Policy Statement under the Resource Management Act on indigenous vegetation to protect New Zealand’s unique biodiversity.
• Government to work with the Maori Party to invest in domestic research priorities and an international initiative to address agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
• Maori Party input into ongoing dialogue on a broader environmental policy programme.

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