Here’s a snippet of our Climate Change debate with the Climate Change Minister and the Green Party co-leader James Shaw with National’s Climate Change spokesperson Todd Muller on why the two parties are talking to each other about Climate Change.

CORIN DANN: I want to say first it’s significant just to have the both of you here because am I right in saying this is going nowhere unless there is bipartisan agreement on this. James Shaw, I’ll start with you first. The fact that Todd Muller is here, the fact you guys are talking. Are we going to get bipartisanship?

JAMES SHAW: Well there’s no guarantee of anything in life but I have to say that I think we’ve got our best chance that we have ever had of getting a bipartisan accord on climate change. And I think it is critical and we are certainly hearing from New Zealanders and from businesses and NGOs and so on that that’s what everyone wants. Because whatever we do has got to endure for multiple decades through several changes of government and if we can at least get started in a bipartisan manner then I think that helps to provide some assurance of that.

CORIN DANN: Todd Muller, why are you here. What’s changed? What’s brought National into a position where you are willing to listen and talk with the Greens and Labour?

TODD MULLER: Well, Simon Bridges the leader made it clear at a Field Days speech. This is an opportunity for us particularly if we can see if we can have common ground over the institution of a climate change. They have one in the UK. We as the National Party had brought Lord Devon who is chair of the UK Climate Commission to inform or thinking in terms of an institution like this that can advise us on what is a very very difficult, as you’ve said in your intro, very challenging 20, 30, 40 years ahead.

CORIN DANN: But there are some on the right and there are some in farming who will be a bit bemused as to why you’re talking to the Labour-led government about this. Leighton Smith calling this a hoax, you’ve got some in Australia. Are you feeling this from your right flank?

TODD MULLER: Well I think you can certainly see it in Australia. They give us a great example in many respects about how not to do it. They have been at each other’s throats across both parties. In fact climate change and the lack of alignment and dealing with it has brought down four Prime Ministers.

On dairy farming:

CORIN DANN: Fewer cows then?

TODD MULLER: Well not in my opinion, no. We have proven in our ability to be the most efficient food producers in the world that we know how to do this.

Please find the you-tube link of the full discussion here

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