3. HONE HARAWIRA (Māori Party—Te Tai Tokerau) Link to this
to the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues
He aha tanawhakautu ki tā te Rōpū Kaitiaki o te Riu o Waiāreka I kī “piki atu ki te kotahi mirionatōnehauhā, ka puta ia tau mai I te wheketereraima o Holcim”, ā, nātēnei ka kitea “te tinihanga o ngākōrerowhakaū a ngārōpūtōrangapū e rua, e whakahekeanarāua I ngātukunga o te hauhā ki te rangi”?
[What response can he make to the Waiareka Valley Preservation Society’s claim that the “Holcim cement plant will release up to one million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum.”, which “makes a mockery of the commitment by both leading political parties to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.”?]
Hon PETE HODGSON (Acting Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues) Link to this
The member makes a very good point, which is why New Zealand must make progress towards emissions trading so that the full cost of cement, including the environmental cost, is reflected in the cost faced by the consumer.
Tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. What strategies are in place to remedy the heavy metal contamination from the Holcim Cement plant, which places market, organic, and home gardens at risk, as well as impacting on the health of the Kakanui River, which is only 5 kilometres from the plant?
Issues around heavy metals, sulphur, coal, or whatever it is to be—there are various issues around this particular project—are issues that will be dealt with if any consent is lodged in favour of that plant. That is the proper place to deal with those issues. That is why we have the Resource Management Act.
Steve ChadwickWhat reports, if any, has the Minister received on parliamentary support for Government policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
I have received a report that a senior member of this House has called Kyoto “not a good idea for the people of New Zealand”, and I have received a second report in which the same member said he would honour Kyoto. Of course, the member responsible for yet another climate change flip-flop is John Key. National needs to come clean on where it really stands on climate change.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Will the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues be recommending that the Prime Minister officially open Genesis’ new E3P gas turbine at Huntly, which is being fired up as we speak, given that it is the biggest new generating station built in New Zealand in 20 years, and that it is 10 times the size of Meridian’s White Hill farm that she opened last week, or will this commissioning be kept as low key as possible, noting that it will emit 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over its life and will continue the decline in the portion of power that is produced by renewables under this Government?
I am afraid I do not know what the Prime Minister’s diary is in respect of E3P. However, if she has the chance to open E3P, my personal view is that it would be great. The reason is this: every time another megawatt is produced from E3P is the time that another megawatt is not produced from a coal-fired power station not far away. There is a net advantage to New Zealand’s carbon dioxide footprint from E3P, and the member needs to do his arithmetic.
Metiria TureiCan the Minister assure taxpayers that they will not end up footing the bill for polluters such as Holcim, which reportedly could be as much as $20 million a year; and when will his Government get policy up and running so that businesses are encouraged to invest sustainably rather than in poisonous and climate-destroying projects such as the Holcim Cement plant?
I cannot give the member an assurance, because I cannot control the 121 votes in this House. I can say that the Government is progressing on emissions trading as an option, and that if we are to proceed with emissions trading we will need legislation. I look forward to the support from all members of the House for any such initiative.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Kia ora tātou. Is the Minister aware of the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency rules around the management of toxins from cement plants, which have been introduced in light of research that proves that emissions cause respiratory and related problems such as asthma—illnesses in which Māori are overrepresented; if so, what actions will he be taking to manage the risks at Holcim?
I just might gently repeat to the member, as I did to his colleague, that that is why we have the Resource Management Act—to deal with issues of that ilk. I am aware that there are suggestions—I live not far south from this plant—of heavy metal pollution and also that there might be too much sulphur in the coal, and so on. These matters need to be thrashed out at a consent hearing. That hearing is open to all players who have an interest.
Tēnā koe, Madam Speaker. Is the Minister aware of Holcim’s 2006 annual review, which shows that in 2006 Holcim retained just $6 million in New Zealand business, while returning $26 million to Switzerland; if so, does he believe that the failure to retain profits in New Zealand, accompanied with the lack of sustainable processes, jeopardises the company’s financial ability to protect the environment?
Straightforwardly, there is no particular link between environmental emanations and the degree of overseas ownership. But it is worth pointing out that this Government has very recently announced KiwiSaver Plus , announced legislation, and passed legislation to proceed with that, and the reasons for doing so were manyfold. One of them was so that we could progressively own more and more of our own country. I hope the member was supportive of that, because that is exactly where this KiwiSaver initiative will lead us.