New Zealand Celsias

Someone has to take the lead on climate change but it certainly shouldn't be New Zealand. Well, that's according to ACT climate change spokesman John Boscawen.

"Prior to the election National promised New Zealanders that we would not lead the world on climate change, yet just over 18 months later that is exactly what we are doing,” he says in a statement on the ACT website.

The statement was issued this morning as a pre-emptive to the march  that took place this afternoon on parliament steps, protesting the ETS.  The protest was jointly organised by Federated Farmers member Brian Anselmi and climate change atheists, the Climate Realists Network.

About 100 people converged on parliaments steps, including members of the ACT party - the only political party opposed to the scheme. Protesters were addressed by guest speakers including national director of Family First Bob McCoskrie, president of Federated Farmers Don Nicolson and Boscawen.

"From July 1, less than two weeks away, all New Zealanders will face increases in the price of petrol and electricity," says Boscawen in the statement. "These costs will flow throughout the whole economy, increasing the price of virtually everything.

"New Zealand is setting up an elaborate system that will be extremely expensive to disestablish and despite the fact that not one of our major trading partners – Australia, China, USA or Japan – is implementing, or looks likely to implement an ETS in the near future. Our Government has decided to push ahead regardless and our exporters will pay the price as they face costs that their competitors simply will not face."

Speaking at the protest today, Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson told Radio New Zealand that even though the agricultural sector won't be fully included in the scheme until 2015, farmers will be hit in the pocket immediately.

He says every dairy farmer will have to pay an extra $3300 in 2011 because of the ETS, while sheep farmers will have to pay an extra $1200.

With the 2011 election in mind, and keeping in line with Boscawen’s earlier statement of discontent at New Zealand leading the world on climate change, ACT leader Rodney Hide says with a few more members, the ACT party could very well derail ETS progress.  Give party votes to ACT at the election and "we'll do the business for you".

If this protest action sparks your interest, remember you have the chance to openly ask climate change minister Nick Smith about the ETS at any number of nation wide free public meetings (see below).

To read up on the Government’s official information about the ETS, click  here.

For other ETS related stories featured on Celsias, see:

Got Q's about the ETS? Ask Nick Smith yourself

Cool reaction to ETS-related power hike

Rural lobby black about ETS sheep costs

Questions over carbon market supply

Cool reaction to ETS-related power hike

Image: Flickr - Jill

Upcoming public ETS meetings across New Zealand