Minister closes down dissent on climate change

In a threatening letter to Maori leaders, Minister for Climate Change Tim Groser says he will be requiring future international delegations to toe the party line, Labour’s Climate Change spokesperson Megan Woods says.

“In the letter Mr Groser is clearly frustrated with prominent forestry advisor Chris Karamea Insley’s participation as a Iwi Leader Group-Climate Change delegate to climate change conferences, and suggests the group think hard about any future involvement by Mr Insley.

The Minister goes on to say he is upset with Mr Insley’s ‘sustained criticism’ of the Government’s record.

“To quote the Minister;’ to be frank the Government will be more forthright in expressing their expectations of the good faith, fair and respectful behaviour that all future members of our international delegations will be required to comply with.’

“This is nothing less than bullying. It is a blatant attempt to shut down differing opinions from Mr Insley who has opposed low priced carbon credits that are leading to massive deforestation in New Zealand. Last year alone 700 foresters have left the Emission Trading Scheme..

“New Zealand was under scrutiny in Peru over its record after a Global Action Network survey found we had slipped to 43rd out of 58 countries it surveyed because we are not reducing our use of fossil fuels.

“The Government’s own advisors have told incoming Ministers that we are not meeting emission targets and we are not making the transition to a low carbon future fast enough.

“It begs the question, what does Tim Groser think he was doing at the Lima conference when he has had the time to sandbag a prominent adviser to the iwi leadership group? Is this another case of dirty politics as this Government wastes its time trying to manipulate public opinion,” says Megan Woods.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1412/Hon_Tim_Groser_to_Dr_Apirana_Mahuia_4_December_2014.pdf

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