Business people want multi-party emissions trading deal within next six months

A new national poll shows business people want a multi-party agreement on an emissions trading scheme reached within the next six months.

The ShapeNZ survey of 482 business decision makers between April 3 and 6 shows 48% want a multi-party deal to ensure long term policy stability. Only 17% oppose a multi-party deal, while 20% are neutral and 11% don't know.

Conducted nationwide online the weighted business decision maker survey has a maximum margin of error of + or - 4.5%.

The poll was launched after Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith accepted an offer from Labour's climate change spokesperson, Charles Chauvel, to discuss a multi-party ETS agreement.

Asked which parties should be involved in the deal, 61% favour National, 50% Labour. Among the other parties 45% would like the Greens involved, 39% Act, 36% the Maori party, 25% United Future and 22% Jim Anderton's Progressives.

Some 50% of business people say it's important an agreement is reached quickly, say in the next six months. 37% say it's not important to agree quickly and 13% don't know.

Overall, New Zealanders also support a new multi-party deal: Of 2911 respondents nationally (maximum margin of error + or - 2.1%), 41% support a multi party agreement, 27% are neutral, 17% oppose and 16% don't know.

New Zealanders most select National (53%), Labour (44%) and the Greens (39%) as parties they prefer to take part in the deal.

The emissions trading scheme, already in law, is subject to review by a Parliamentary select committee. Officials are also looking at how it can be aligned with the proposed Australian Pollution Reduction Scheme, the bill for which has yet to be introduced into the House in Canberra, and may not pass in the Senate.

Business Council Chief Executive Peter Neilson says under current New Zealand law stationary energy, including electricity, is due to join the ETS on January 1 next year. Forestry joined on January 1 this year, and the first emissions units have been traded.

"It's quite clear business people would like a deal on an ETS which sticks. We need a scheme which lasts for another 30 Parliaments, not just one. Businesses also need a clear signal, so they can get ready for January 1, or another firmly agreed date.

"A clear signal on emissions pricing is also needed to make sure the right decisions are made on billions worth of major infrastructure projects, specially in the energy sector. We don't want the wrong decisions made - and to waste our money creating new assets that wouldn't be viable in a world which has put a price on carbon," Mr Neilson says.

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