Media Statement
Wednesday, 2 September

Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu
Leader of UnitedFuture

Dunne says Key and Goff should meet to resolve ETS

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says it is time for Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader Phil Goff to meet to hammer out an agreement on the emissions trading scheme.

Mr Dunne, who chaired the select committee which reviewed the emissions trading scheme, said the committee’s report, tabled on Monday, provides a clear platform on which National and Labour can broker an agreement.

“The report shows that both National and Labour support an emissions trading scheme – in fact, they agree on 32 of the 34 select committee recommendations.

“Their differences were over price caps and the timing of entry of agriculture into the ETS, although both agree on all gases, all sectors approach.

“These are hardly insurmountable, and given the profession of both Mr Key and Mr Goff that they want to negotiate in good faith, it should not be too difficult for them to come to an agreement,” he said.

Mr Dunne said it is appropriate that Mr Key and Mr Goff talk now to agree the high level parameters of the ETS and the changes to be made to it.

“Once they have established those parameters, their respective climate change spokespeople should be able to finalise the details very quickly, given that there is really little distance between their current positions,” he said.

Mr Dunne said a National/Labour agreement would send clear signals about the durability of New Zealand’s ETS, and would give all sectors of the economy the certainty they are seeking, and which both parties say they are committed to achieving.

ENDS

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