Ministers Make Ultimate Sacrifice For Planet

Tuesday, 13 February 2007, 6:08 pm
Article: Kevin List

The Labour Government is perhaps fortunate that maverick ex-MP John Tamihere lost his seat in the last election and is forced to wander the outer limits of Asia making snide comments about the Prime Minister for the benefit of the reality TV.

If Mr Tamihere was still an MP there potentially would have been an outcry from the passionate former West Auckland MP at the Government's latest move – reducing the mana of the ministerial car fleet. Gone will be the throaty roar of the ministerial V8 engine and in its place will be the soft purr of hybrid technology.

Members of the press were this afternoon informed by David Parker, the Minister responsible for climate change issues, that the Government was taking immediate action to reduce green house gasses by adding new vehicles to the ministerial fleet that meet at least a Euro IV standard as the older gas guzzlers come up for retirement.

Other measures announced at press conference today by Ministers of the Labour government were:

- 39 core public service departments beginning work to achieve carbon neutrality
- A new drive to minimise waste from the Ministry for the Environment
- A household sustainability campaign
- A campaign to assist businesses to be more sustainable
- Increasing the proportion of cleaner burning biofuels

When asked by Scoop what new initiatives the Government were taking in regard to public transport and rail to assist these other noble objectives Mr Parker replied that the Government had already increased investment in public transport significantly in the last seven years.

Listen to David Benson Pope, Lianne Dalziel, Annette King, David Parker and Judith Tizard outline a raft of initiatives for keeping the planet feeling good

Scoop Streaming Audio: Labour Ministers outline initiatives to reduce green house gasses following the PM's Speech to the Nation - February 13 2007

Click here to download file (mp3)

ENDS

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