The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming today’s continuation of a number of Labour’s climate change initiatives as economically and scientifically
illiterate.
Taxpayers’ Union Head of Campaigns, Callum Purves, said:
“This Government is supposed to be one that understands the Emissions Trading Scheme. Under the current cap and trade
system, any reduction in emissions in one sector will simply free up room under the fixed cap for emissions elsewhere
under the ETS’s fixed cap model.
“Simon Watts has swallowed the James Shaw cool-aid and is more focused on looking like he is doing something rather than
actually reducing emissions at the lowest possible cost.
“This Government is milking taxpayers with its clean heavy vehicles corporate welfare fund that will see the likes of
Fonterra receiving millions for absolutely no environmental gain.
“There is no need for the Government to be involved in EV charging. So long as they remove regulatory barriers, there is
plenty of financial incentive for private companies to build and operate EV charging infrastructure. Again, this will
have no environmental benefit.
“If Simon Watts doesn’t understand – or, worse, is just ignoring – the basics of the Emissions Trading Scheme, it would
be better for both taxpayers and environment for him to be replaced with someone who does."