9. STEVE CHADWICK (Labour—Rotorua) Link to this
to the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues
What reports, if any, has he received on support for greenhouse gas emissions agreements negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations?
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues) Link to this
I have seen reports that the United States now agrees that the world needs a post-Kyoto global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and that it ought to be done through the United Nations process. I note that the Kyoto agreement, previously opposed by both Kazakhstan and the National Party, was negotiated through the United Nations.
Can the Minister please tell the House of other recent reports on support for greenhouse gas emission agreements negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations?
Yes, I can tell of two. The first is a letter to the editor dated 13 June 2007 from Dr Smith. The letter states: “Sir, Last Saturday your correspondent … claimed ‘… stated we should pull out of Kyoto’. This is grossly untrue. I have never stated this.” I cannot reconcile that report with the 2004 article in the same paper, which is headed: “Smith vows Kyoto exit”, and states that Dr Smith said National would opt out of Kyoto. This goes beyond climate change politics to integrity.
Madam SPEAKER
Simon PowerI seek leave to table two documents. The first is the letter to the editor of 13 June where Dr Smith—
The second document is the earlier article in the same newspaper, where Dr Smith vowed to pull out of Kyoto.
Hon Bill EnglishI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wonder whether you could take the opportunity to point out to the member, who should know by now, that seeking leave to table a document is done either straight after a question is asked or at the end of all the supplementaries, not in the middle of another member’s supplementary question.