1. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) Link to this
to the Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee
Does he stand by his statement to Carbon News on 19 May, with regard to the Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill, that “Every submitter had been given at least 10 minutes’ hearing time, and more if they asked for it.”?
CHARLES CHAUVEL (Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee) Link to this
No. That had been my impression, but I have now had the chance to look through the minutes of our committee’s last nine meetings. Of the 160 submitters heard, 155 received hearings lasting 10 minutes or more. As to requests for hearings in excess of 10 minutes, I am advised that committee staff sought to accommodate all such requests where they could practicably do so, and managed to do so in most cases.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Does the chairperson consider that that is satisfactory, given that an email from Temperzone Ltd states: “We were summoned to appear in a group with non-affiliated parties. We wonder why we were not consulted on this forcible grouping. We had to shorten our submission to 5 minutes. We had no time to present and debate the issues.”; is that a satisfactory situation for a company that employs 550 people, that exports $100 million worth of air conditioning units, and that says this legislation will put its existence at risk?
The facts are that Temperzone Ltd was heard with the Institute of Refrigeration, Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers of New Zealand and Fisher and Paykel Appliances Ltd, and just before the Trust for the Destruction of Ozone Depleting Substances. All those entities wanted to speak to the committee about the issue of hydrofluorocarbons. The group submission received from 12.35 p.m. to 1.05 p.m., and the trust received a further 10 minutes—from 1.05 p.m. to 1.15 p.m. I think that was a very satisfactory process.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek leave to table the letter of complaint that the committee has received from Temperzone.
Madam SPEAKER
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I seek leave to ask a supplementary question on a very important matter.