The cost to taxpayers of playing our part in reducing global carbon emissions has more than doubled to an estimated $110 billion. But Maori will get a special deal - it's the price for Maori Party support of the Government's Emissions Trading Scheme.
Five of New Zealand's richest iwi, who have already signed multi-million-dollar treaty settlements, will gain millions more in the deal.
The deal will see Maori foresters pay nothing to grow trees on Department of Conservation land, which can be harvested and sold for carbon-credit profits. In return, the Maori Party will support the ETS.
"For those relatively limited number of iwi, it is sensible we provide some sort of preferential deal for them," says Climate Change Minister Nick Smith.
The deal is essentially compensation for iwi who claim the Crown did not tell them the forests they gained in treaty settlements would be devalued by an emissions trading scheme. It is only for Maori, and not any other foresters or landowners, who feel cheated.
"I think they're good ideas," says Dr Smith. "It's a good thing for the Government to be working with iwi around planting trees."
DOC has already earmarked conservation land for planting trees, but it wants commercial foresters to pay for the land. Iwi leaders want it for free, and to retain ownership over the trees for later sale.
"It makes great sense," says Dr Smith. "This is about finding a win-win where New Zealand gets the benefit of getting additional trees being planted, iwi are able to benefit from some of the carbon credits."
The Government meet with iwi leaders this morning. Labour says negotiations for the emissions scheme have been flawed.
"We don't even know what concessions are being made to Maoridom, or what analysis has been done, or what the cost is being put at - or even whether they're fair to other people in the community," says Labour leader Phil Goff.
"This is no way to pass legislation."
And Labour has been scathing in its objections about the ETS in a report released today. Mr Goff says new Treasury figures show the scheme's cost will hurt taxpayers.
"The taxpayer is picking up the bill of $110 billion," he says. "That's $92,000 per household."
So taxpayers will be paying more, while some iwi groups make more.
3 News
source: newshub archive
