The Minister of Agriculture has signalled that the Government will apply a tax on livestock methane emission, ACT
Environment Spokesman MP Gerry Eckhoff said today.
"Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton today refused to rule out a tax on livestock emissions. This is despite assurances
given earlier by Energy Minister Pete Hodgson to Federated Farmers that emissions taxes would not be introduced.
Clearly, the Government has had a change of heart, and plans to introduce a tax on methane emission.
"The Government totally fails to recognise the role pasture plays in the wider question of CO2 absorption and emission.
"In moving ahead with this absurd tax on animal emissions, the Government is ignoring the facts.
"It has been estimated that New Zealand pasture actually absorbs six-and-a-half times more CO2 than the livestock emit
in the form of methane.
"The Government is deliberately overlooking the extremely positive effects of pastoral livestock farming in New Zealand
on the vexed question of global warming," Mr Eckhoff said today.
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