NZ Centre for Political Research

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*But unfortunately the majority of NZ will not be concerned untill they start seeing prices go up, just waiting to see the Maori Party negotiate a deal to exclude Maori from ETS payments! John

*As ETS is based on a scientifically unproven theory we should not be throwing money at it as a given. Alan

*We have had enough of increases in ACC levies, petrol increases, power increases, food increases etc and cannot afford more, especially for something that is just a power/money grab! Aphrodite

*Yet again NZ leads the world in stupidity. Kim

*National have disappeared off my Party Radar permanently. Bryan

*The official reason given for the commitment to ETS is pathetic. Sabina

*In future I will vote for a party that listens. Ellerie

*This is a scam! How can we be so stupid as to believe all this after the 'climategate' e-mail leaks. Eddy

*One area that is not getting any airtime is the glasshouse industry. This is energy intensive, and the growers have no way of recovering their costs because they are price takers. Chris

*And a thousand times, NO! There is ZERO need or scientific or logical basis for the ETS. The ETS is about taxing and controlling people, not helping the environment. If our govt REALLY wants to do something to "help the planet", they can put pressure on the Chinese, Russians & Indians to sort out their massively polluting industry - and I mean REAL pollution, not this pretend CO2 stuff which is just, plain normal. And would someone please give the politicos a basic course in logic? It goes like this: planet earth is made up of 71% water with a volume of approx 1.4 Billion cubic kms and contains 95% of the earth's CO2 locked within. Local start known as the sun is around 1 million times the size of earth and is known to throw varying amounts of stuff called "heat" our way, thereby heating or cooling previously-mentioned oceans and releasing or locking CO2 in the process. Are the Nats & other greenie sycophants planning to tax the oceans, then? And who are they gonna force to pay their "tax" - God? The fish? Peter

*Its about time that the National Government lived up to their promises. What is their real agenda behind their actions? Denis

*What the hell is our government trying to do to us, as if things arent bad enough now. Sack the lot of them I say!!!!!!!!!!! Junior

*I am extremely annoyed at national over this ETS it is a UN hoax. Peter

*I definitely don't want another 9 years of Labour but that is the way we are headed if National continue with this madness. Alan

*John Key has shown his true colours...... he tells lies (have a look at his election promises) he and National should not be trusted.(and yes I voted for them). It is about time Kiwis took a stand and demanded that politicians MUST listen to us and do as WE say, (NOT what THEY want to do). Tony

*As a family we can barely afford the necessities of life such as FOOD and POWER without the extra cost of such a scam. Christine

*The reason this National government is introducing an ETS scheme has nothing to do with controlling emissions. It has everything to do with raking in more tax dollars to help compensate for it's paltry tax cuts. Along with the GST increase, the government is going to be taking more tax dollars than it is giving back to us. Richard

*Listen to your subjects who voted you in and stop the hypocrisy. If this goes ahead you have lost my vote. Joan

*The aim of the government was to reach economic parity with Australia. How will an ETS do this? Bernie

*It is totally unnecessary to have an ETS even if it could afford it! John

*Are we stupid. We are the only country in the world with such a scheme. We cant afford it and with more and more countries either opting out or delaying ets we are out on our own. Other coutries know the cost so are not going ahead. We can not afford it. John

*We're still in a recession. Most people haven't had pay increases in well over a year. Ivan

*NO NO NO NO NO. I believe Key only wants one term as PM then he will spend his time between his NZ mansion and his Hawaian one. As for that idiot Nick Smith, I am bewildered as to why the Nelson folk continue to elect him. The ETS MUST be put on hold - it is madness, especially in the present economic climate but appears to be a great source of revenue for this Govt, who need loads of money thanks to the previous Govt. Carolyn

*If they (the Nats) expect the country to progress they should not go ahead with ETS. It is areal struggle to make a proffit now, we are only just covering cost, this is not going to help. I have always voted Nat. but will never do so again if this goes through. Pam

*The scariest part of the ETS is who are the advisors to National and who placed these morons in these positions in the first place? Tom

*Regardless of whether we can afford it or not - it is an absolutely ridiculous attempt to control carbon output. It will just make a few individuals (world-wide) immensly wealthy! Peter

*This govt should wake up,and listen to the people. If not they will be a one term Govt. John

*NZ is only just emerging from a recession and it would be an unfair burden on NZ to increase costs still further. Gillian

*ETS is a United Nations tax which has not yet been proven beyond doubt. George

*I think we can afford it, but it is totally unjustified. Anthropogenic climate change is another Tooth Fairy. It doesn't exist. Robin

*ETS is built on lies and incorrect science and research. Time to kick it out the door permanently. I fear our government of the people (not for the people as they should be) are about to greatly increase THEIR tax take and will be rubbing their hands together with glee!! Neil

*It is hard enough to make ends meet, and to keep a business running. Harry & Mary

*The evidence for the human influence on climate change is still debatable. It would appear that Natioanal wants to be seen to be good to the EU countries for purely political reasons. Roger

*So much for closing the income gap with Aust. All this ridiculous new tax (yes N.Smith, it is a damn tax!) will do is make us poorer. Tim

*If they can pay to offset emissions they'll never stop emitting!!! Helen

*Nor should it ever be imposed.The whole Climate Change scenario is a total Scam. Read Ian Plimer's "Heaven & Earth" and find out why! We're being taken for a ride again!! Jim

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*Yet again the NZ public are being ambushed into being responsible for a problem that doesnt exist, and I for one voted for National because they were not going to bring in the ETS. Peter

*No New Zealand can't affort ETS & infact the liars & loudmouths of this world are bringing down society to a state of full control. Graham

*My wife and I are no longer financial members of the National party. We worked tirelessly for 6 years to help rid the country of clark and the dishonest, (for want of a better word) labour party and look what they've done to us, ETS. Indigenous rights, sea bed and foreshore, anti smacking bill and not enough support for anti whaling in the southern ocean.We don't ever want the communists back, so if the farmers set up a party !!!!???? Gerry

*Smith, apart from not having a clue what he is talking about, recently admitted at a meeting in our area that CO2 is not a pollutant, while people have the "we have to do something even if it is not going to have any effect" mentality the country has a problem, while people like Smith and Key are allowed to make stupid decisions based on inaccurate data the problem compounds, National members need to make themselves heard (if they actually give a s---) they are not listening to anyone else. John

*Absolutely not, we as a society are being crippled with huge rising costs - this will exacerbate the situation and for what could result to no benefit in the long term. Michele

*ETS is a lousy hangover from Helen Clark's bid for a job in the UN. Jim

*But greed and avarice on the parts of Key, Bennet, Smith, Goff, Sharples, Harawira et al will triumph.

And, once again, real WORKING New Zealanders are forced into penury while paying for self-serving BENEFICIARIES like Unleavened-bread, Hone-the-tool, More-dpb-Paula, Rent-my-house-Bill, Queer-Chris and Eco-pirate-Nick.

Never mind.

No-one is leaving New Zealand.

And, if someone leaves, we can always import another asian baker or muslim taxi driver or indian petrol station owner.

Excuse my complete lack of enthusiasm. Mark

*Those of us on fixed incomes, already have problem enough to balance our budgets. The extent of the scheme will make life more difficult. Jane

*I have already written, emailed, and called the PM, Nick Smith as well as my local "representative" Tony, Ryall with no response back. Methinks there is another transfer of wealth from the producers to the parasites via kleptocracy. Bert

*If there was an election now, I would not vote for the present party, as they appear to be wanting to be seen as the clean up people for the world. I think more people will be moving to Australia. David

*This will all be over in a few years time when the world realise this save the planet from global warming is found to be completly incorrect. Andrew

*Just another tax increase to appease a few lefty greens. Smith should resign. Trevor

*N Smith should read Time mag. article Jan.25th 2010.Should be essential reading for politicians. Laurie

*Have duly written to the PM, Nick Smith & our local MP, Simon Bridges. Have had an acknowledgement from NS, a "not his portfolio" from the PM & a courteous reply from SB with NS's speech attached. Our reply to SB is below.
"Our thanks also for the copy of Dr Nick Smith's speech, of which we already had a copy from another (National Party) source, in justification of the government's ETS policy.

Regrettably, Dr Smith's speech and his more recent apperance on Q&A on Sunday a.m., really raises a lot more questions than they answer. And it comes nowhere near addressing any of the questions that we raised.

There are so many misapprehensions, misstatements and partial truths set out as a justification for the government's ETS action that it almost beggars belief. One could take a whole book in order to write a critique, or deconstruction of Nick's perorations. In essence, it is a statement of believe and faith, best summarised in St.Paul's Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 11.1) - “For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.

Overall, the key justifications seem to hinge on two commitments:
(a) to the forest owners, largely iwi and overseas interests – pertaining to afforestation plantings that took place long before the Kyoto Protocol was signed. Also, this is despite having a Kyoto credit of $251M according to the budget statement.
(b) to protect our export trade.

Unfortunately, just last week the UN issued a report urging the world to forego meat and dairy products to prevent climate change – so that largely puts the Kibosh on that dream! That the present application of the ETS is only half as costly to the taxpayer as the previous administration's version seems to be a point of honour – but merely demonstrates perhaps that this government is only half as gullible and stupid as Labour.

None of the so-called reasons for the ETS policy appear to stack-up under scrutiny – certainly not as expressed by Dr. Nick Smith – and none justify the urgency and reckless abandon with which it has been introduced. One can but speculate that there are more covert reasons for an obligation to implement it – perhaps related to the need to secure ongoing credit from overseas financial interests? Despite your good intentions in providing Dr. Nick Smith's ovation, the questions we posed earlier remain unanswered. So?"
Given today's report that European carbon taxes on aviation is likely to hit our tourist trade badly, then perhaps the Tourist Minister ( JK) will be motivated to answer? Dave

*I feel betrayed by this National Government & wonder what their ulterior motive is. Brenda

*Working Kiwi's are struggling to survive as it is, a new set of taxes is not what we need. Richard

*Unjustified at present time. Looney, Smith. I will continue to vote for ACT. Bill

*I feel very strongly about this and have written a letter to the key MPs involved. Mark

*The ignorant government we have will refuse to listen, as per usual. They are a bunch of ignorant galloots. Chris

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*As if National will listen to petitions anyway!, we have a dictatorship!, we definitely cannot afford this emissions trading scheme. Rick

*Once again, the ETS was ever only about money. It will not cause carbon reductions. The revelations by Nick Smith only go to show the levels of hypocrisy that some parlimentarians are prepared to go to follow the "party line". What can we do? All the political parties seem to be in favour of such a scheme, whatever it may be called. Ron

*Global warming is an absolute con and we shouldn't be sucked into it! John

*Of course we can't and needn't we should. It is just another con tax to raise more money for the Government. To campaign on on ETS, then bring one in is just a con. They know it and I'm sure they will feel it in the next election (I won't be here, I'm off to Aussie next week) but who do you vote for. I feel very sorry for any Kiwis left in NZ. Graeme

*We have just travelled the Sth Ilsand and there are so many trees planted there surely we do enough with belonging so this scheme. Lyn

*This will go down in history as the world's largest scam. Smith should be fired. Bruce

*We are a joke. When the whole world ETS swindle falls to pieces as it must do, wont we look so very very stupid. Michael

*It is a extra cost to all New Zealanders that they can't afford. John

*The National Party are totally decieved on this issue. They have proposed a pathway ahead with ETS that will wreck the NZ economy. I can't believe how stupid they are.They have beleived a lie. Max

*At the last couple of General Elections I voted strategically, party vote ACT, candidate vote National. If this scheme goes ahead, Simon Power loses that vote forever. Vic

*Sheer stupidity and a further unnecessary cost on every NZer - "Let them freeze" say Key and that idiot Smith - what made them change their minds about this big con - which they rubbished when in opposition (where they'll be again next year) was it the part Maori-part European (which they conveniently forget about if there is money involved (it doesn't pay anything to be white), the promise of a big payout together with gaining the Kiangaroa forests, or was it a big nudge from that evil organisation - the UN. Get rid of it. Personally I am sick of politicians and local Govt walking all over us and dipping their greedy paws in my pocket. Carolyn

*Utterly stupid, us mere mortals could never alter the world's weather patterns, common sense tells us that. Jim

*As one of the elderly, I'm already using blankets rather than heating. I can't afford to have my power bill any higher than it already is. I never thought it would come to this. Ann

*Do we really want to head towards being a third world nation? Get real we CANNOT afford it and shouldn't try to lead the world until the real polluters do their bit. Jeremy

*No way! especially when our major trading partners are nowhere near taking on such a scheme! Graham

*Pollution is caused by inadequate technology and will be solved by technology not by something dreamed up by the green communists so they can punish the rest of us for ignoring their stupid ideas. K

*The country certainly can not afford it. John Key and others who support it will almost certainly discover they they cannot either. While we may not have much real democracy under MMP the next election draws nearer each day. Rob

*As many have already said, this is a tax,and the ets won't make a blind bit of difference to our climate.Period. Steve

*We are too small an economy to "go it alone" on this contentious issue. Phil

*Hi Muriel Here's latest NZ evidence on the global warming fraud from Craig Read.

www.craigread.com

Monday, June 14, 2010
Another Green Nazi prediction fails.
by Craig Read

The largest scientific and financial fraud in history is of course 'Globaloney Warming'. This 'menace' is about as real as the mythical and rarely sighted 'moderate Muslim'. The East Anglia-UN criminality in intentionally distorting and manipulating a very small cadre of non-global climate temperature readings has already debunked and destroyed for those who can still think, the pretense that the Globaloney Warming mafia is concerned with the Earth Mother [see here]. The cabal of Green Nazis are only concerned with power, control, a world-government and their own enrichment at the expense of the gaping, stupid, toothless peasant mass.

And it appears that almost weekly, yet more predictions from the Globaloney Green Nazis are shown to be bereft of facts, reality or science. This week a study by a leftist university in New Zealand has revealed that the Pacific Islands – which according to L Ron Gore the eco-whore should be under water by now – are actually growing not shrinking. This is not widely reported in the corrupted main stream media, nor by politicians so eager to dominate all aspects of life, and raise taxes as their nation states sink into bankruptcy. What better way to balance the budget than to tax under the guise of 'saving the Earth Mother' ! Jubilee.

But the Gaia entity is not cooperating:

“It turns out that the islands did, in fact, change over time, but they are hardly sinking. Overall, 20 grew or remained stable. The island of Funamanu, for example, expanded from 7.4 acres to 9.5 acres in size - a 28 percent growth. Only seven islands shrunk, with the biggest percentage change occurring on Tengasu, which dropped from a tiny 1.7 acres to 1.5 acres - a diminishment of 9,670 square feet, the size of Mr. Gore's Tennessee mansion.

According to various studies, sea levels appear to have risen about 8 inches since the year 1860, but these Pacific islands continue to prosper nonetheless. This new study attributed size differences over time to the effect of ocean swells pounding and eroding windward shorelines. On leeward sides protected from the swells, coastlines grew. In other words, nature struck a near-perfect balance, wholly unaffected by the purported evils of America's internal-combustion engines.”

L Ron Whore guaranteed that the world's oceans would be rising inches every year and feet every decade. It was of course a claim of lies bereft of science, common-sense and intelligence. Yet millions if not hundreds of millions of people have fallen for this chimera of mendacity. Politicians seized it as an opportunity to bail out their floundering welfare-states and systems of socialization. The UN views carbon management, credits and resource control as the mainstays of a new World Government. Eco-fascists wet themselves over the possibility of neutering the modern world, and returning humans to the paleolithic era. Big businesses and banks salivate at subsidies or the returns embedded in the phantom of 'carbon credit trading'.

A corrupt nexus of selfish concerns have coalesced around the fantastical assertion that a natural gas which is less than 1% of total atmospheric emissions, 95% of which is created by the Mother Earth, somehow 'forces climate'.

The irresolutely non-scientific nature of Globaloney Warming can be encapsulated in one simple question. Why did the last ice age end 12.000 years ago ? The last great flooding, which the Globaloney Warm-mongers are so frightened of, came 12.000 years ago when the ice masses retreated, and the earth's temperature swung in some locales by as much as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Was Co2 to blame ? Or perhaps the more complicated interaction of one million or more variables, set into motion by solar flares and an increase in radiation ?

Like the Gay Gene theory which was debunked within 12 months by peer review, Globaloney Warming simply does not stand up to scrutiny. The oceans are not rising. That is simple, discernible and measurable fact. Associate Professor Paul Kench of Auckland University, who took part in the study on the sea levels around the Pacific Islands which was published in the journal Global and Planetary Change, says that, 'the islands are not in immediate danger of extinction...That rather gloomy prognosis for these nations is incorrect..We have now got the evidence to suggest that the physical foundation of these countries will still be there in 100 years, so they perhaps do not need to flee their country.'

Of course not everyone is happy that the sea is not spilling over the land masses in the Pacific, terrorizing the natives and confirming the Eco-alyptic views of L Ron and friends. Politicians, the media and the Marxist-UN complex disavow the obvious. The UN ambassador for the Solomon Islands Colin Beck was outraged – very typical for the Green Nazis when challenged:

“This kind of science in our view is short sighted.
“It is sad to see a university from our region make general statement without looking at the long term implications. Of course all corals are growing but they are sensitive to temperature. You cannot say the same thing if the sea continues to rise and to ocean acidification which results in coral bleaching.
“..this kind of science is a little bit short sighted in our view.
“It is politicized science because it tries to bring in a different science reality into the political reality to give the perception that things will be good in the long run.”

So for this exalted cult member Globaloney Warming and L Ron theology is not politicized. Anything critiquing man-made eco-lyptic disasters is politicized. Good grief. And view the man's illogic. So now coral bleaching is due to warmer temperatures, which is due to Globaloney Warming, which is due only to mankind's 5 % emission of a gas which is 1% or less of total atmospheric gaseous emissions. Now that is real science and logic at work! Nothing else could be causing coral bleaching. Co2 emissions are directly responsible. SUVs in Los Angeles are causing the global temperature to rise [even though it is falling]; and sea activity [not rising but just activity] to 'increase'; which then whitens the coral in the Pacific.

Truly pathetic.

Such an attitude is of course quite normal throughout all cult's. They ignore reality. New information cannot be tolerated. Facts are to be subsumed into myth. Nothing must be allowed to change the course of the cult and its lust for power. Spin is essential. Lying mandatory. Distortion a matter of course. In essence the cult's main concern is centered on power, micro-management and political control – nothing must be allowed to obstruct the pursuance of those goals.

For people like the perplexed Solomon Islands ambassador, science apparently just 'stops'. As does natural climate activity. For such deep minds there is no need for investigation and data confirmation. Just follow, obey, and submit. This sounds a lot like Islam to me - as written in November 2009 during 'ClimateGate':

“So we the hoi-polloi, the people who are too stupid to understand the great minds behind Globaloney Warming can observe the following about ClimateGate.

-The CRU WILL NOT release more documents.

-They have not rebutted with other documents or with facts, any of the claims of fraud and criminality found in the 3000 posted docs. [how many other thousands of documents would confirm the fraud?]

-They have not opened up their books, their papers, their people and their processes to a real scientific peer review.

-Over 25 models are being used, yet we are told the 'science is settled' ? How can 25 models which provide different outcomes settle anything ? Seems rather unsettled.

Imagine you are a scientist circa the time of Newton. You just 'discovered 'for example what you believe to be the law of gravity. Yet many sceptics and critics exist who claim that your data and methods are wrong and that the theory is invalid. So what would you do? Would you not, if you were a real scientist with real proof, now endeavour to convince through experiments and the open sharing of information with these people the power of your idea and law ? Or would you commit criminality and lie, distort and engage in verbal and intellectual violence ?”

Like Islam, Globaloney Warming relies on lies, extraordinary myth-making, symbols, ritualization and the central belief that divine powers resplendent in cult leadership and gang rule, must guide your daily and quite worthless existence. Globaloney Warming is like Islam simply a death cult. That is the ultimate destination of these theological fascisms. Destroy the modern world. Hate the human. Glory in celestial-moon worship in the case of Islam, or in Mother Earth's purity in the case of Globaloney Warming. Reject reality and impose a New World Order of communal fascism. That is the real message of the Green Nazis. Michael

*Welcome Phil Goff the next primeminister of NZ - sponsored by National. Dennis

*We should not set out to be first ~ why has Nick Smith done an about face. Anne

*Will not limit emissions and is merely another tax. Peter

*Who knows if we will be able to afford it, but at this stage in the economy I don't believe it is worth the risk! Petrice

*New Zealands debt is out of control and paying a carbon tax just makes it worse. The ETS should be deferred until some of the major players start paying. Peter

*It is outrageous and immoral that this experiment should be forced upon New Zealanders. I will vote for any party that opposes this! Shirley

*Has any one calculated the amount of so called green house gases given off a NZ covered with forest as it was originally given that all the detritus from the trees falls to the ground and decomposes thus giving off methane gas as part of the process. May be it would be more than we produce now by what ever means. Would be pleased for an answer. Thanks. Barry

*What climate change ?? It has been written that the earth has, in fact, been cooling for the last 10 or so years. Also some Pacific Islands are even growing in size. National will be out as far as I'm concerned when the next election comes around if they persist with this ludicrous scheme. Why cant they see sense? It beats me! Arthur

*Simply its insanity and will be the downfall of this Government. Stewart

*If the NZ govt.does not benefit from the ETS tax then who does get the money? Who is really running our country? Monica

*National will be a one term Govt if this ETS is implemented as it will be so inflationary for absolutely no benefit to NZ or the World. Elizabeth

*The E.U seems likely to drop any such scheme. Richard

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*This stupid decision will be fatal to National. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Bryan

*It's just another way for some people to make money! it's not going to do anyone any good in reality, or make any difference to global emissions. Shear pig headedness! John

*It seems that the tax extorted under the ETS is to be used to subsidise forest planted without any expectation of subsidy at time of planting, and the balance will be required to support a burgeoning bureaucracy one of the first such appointments being an ETS Ambassador for goodness sake. Rocky

*The ETS is all a big scam -a "no-brainer" -has Nick Smith lost his brain. Mary

*Definitely NOT - an absolutely senseless financial sacrifice for no environment gain at all. Gerd

*The madness of the Government’s new carbon tax is that New Zealanders will be the only people in the world paying it. It will drive up the costs of living and undermine the competitiveness of New Zealand business for negligible environmental gain. A further concern is its impact on inflation, interest rates and the exchange rate. It will add to the costs of fuel and power and these flow right through the economy to basics like food. This puts pressure on inflation, which in turn drives up interest rates and the kiwi dollar. The Government’s carbon tax is a classic example of the way the Government is making things tougher for the productive exporting sector. The worst aspect of the carbon tax is that it will not make one iota of difference to New Zealand’s emissions. Nick Smith 2005. Richard

*Keep up the good work, outing these two faced politicians. Stewart

*This absurdity must be stopped, whether by peaceful or non peaceful means. Nick Smith is an enigma with no credibility. John Key had better actively listen to the voting public of this country. David

*I am becoming more and more disillusioned with National and its money grabbing ways. It is the Lower income people that get stung and is expected to have a never ending money tree. Enough is enough roll on 2011 (not that I can honestly say whom I am going to vote for certainly not the lot we had for 9 years nor National) National has said one thing and done a turnaround. in 2005 John Key said National would have none of the ETS as it was a non event and like many others he has hit us with huge increases and more than likely killed many exports as we will not be able to compete. Marylin

*Absolutely not. It will be a bureaucratic nightmare. A stupid waste of money. Josie

*This is madness--even if they are trying to foster tourism-crippling the country fro it when other major players like Australia are not is insane! Colleen

*The answer is of course NO!

But what kind of a stand will make this present Government alter or remove the ETS before July 1st? Certainly nothing in the way of words will change their mind set, so we must ask the question “WHY”?

Why would such a longstanding Political Party as National after all their remarks, protestations regarding the unproved theory of “so-called Global Warming”, prior to the election, now embark on such a course?
Why the great turn round? Why risk (as Dr. Ron Smith asks in his article (blog) “Politics and Climate Change”) undermine their greatest supporters namely the “farmers, exporters etc.? At the same time incurring such a huge increase in our living costs through the implementation of an ETS scheme?

There must be some logical explanation, or some huge pressure being brought upon, not only the National Party, but the entire major political parties within New Zealand especially those who have sufficient power thru the MMP system.

The only world countries that could exert such pressure would be the major ones and this would be highly unlikely, so we are left with only one possible alternative.

That little New Zealand down at the lower end of the Pacific has become the great experiment for Green Global Change Movement, the guinea-pig, a reliable compliant guinea-pig. Reason and history dictates that our citizens are easily led, easily controlled and apart from some ethnic sections, (who like the rest of us can be bought off) very unlikely to actively engage in anything more than a token resistance.

You can bet your bottom dollar that our neighbour across the ditch was never considered, even when Rudd and Labour came to power. No way would the Australian public accept such an imposition as the ETS! And their politicians know it.

The only way any of us can rectify this position after July, will be to back a framework for a N.Z. Constitution which covers us all, and more importantly sets down the principal that those who rule us are subject to the laws that bind us all as a nation.
Failure will see more ETS schemes, more big government and more control from the United Nations, unless of course there is a “Credit Card Failure”! Brian

*If National carries on with this lunacy it can kiss goodbye to our life-long support. It's not as if they have not already had an earful!! Ian

*It's a political moneymaking scam a scheme based on flawed science & it's all beginning to unravel. Colleen

*As we all no Govements do not take any notice of the Public unless it is the Maori Party. Geoff

*ETS is an outrageous impost on NZers and must damage the poorest even more than recent tax rejigging. An impost scam persuaded by poseurs of pseudo-science. Nick Smith has lost his marbles with this - EXCEPT of course that is really a revenue gathering rort that serves well to keep some snouts suckling the muzzle of largesse. LH-S

*The key question is not can we but should we and the logical answer is we shouldn't! Bruce

*I have always been a National supporter and I am in my sixties but I won't be voting for them next time around. Danny

*Of course we cant! The Nats are a lot of hypocrites, this will come back to haunt John Key who loves to piss in everybodies pocket and not stand firm on anything! Laurie

*As if National will listen to petitions anyway!, we have a dictatorship!, we definitely cannot afford this emissions trading scheme. Rick

*It's time politicians in NZ started looking after the people that elect them. The only way we can incress our collective wealth is to improve the competitiveness of our exporters not penalise them through increased costs. Murray

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*I think National and Labour are just riding a wave of voter apathy. People will not know what has hit them until it is too late with the ETS. There is no way this would wash in Australia, just look at KRudd's mining tax. He'll be lucky to win his seat next election. Someone in the National Party needs to bend the ear of the MPs because they certainly aren't listening to the people. Glenn Beck would have a field day if he had a TV/Radio show here! Bill

*I want to know if there have been any studies done on changes in the level of Oxygen in our atmosphere. Seems to me that Oxygen must be diminishing if the CO2 levels are rising ... and we really do need Oxygen to breath ... and fuel our energy processes that produce the (claimed)increases in CO2. If not ... why not? Meantime I'm against our agricultural industry (and our country) being taxed for providing a major percentage of their output to provide food products to many other countries. Come to think of it, we should tax them too (share the tax with the end users? Paul

*It has all been said & we are still saying it & no one in the Beehive is listening. The people are speaking Nick Smith!!!! John

*You can't base a scheme on something you cannot measure. Gerhard

*It seems that truth is what anyone whats to make it! Jennifer

*We need the ETS like we need a another hole in our head!! Come join the March on the 22 June and help vote it down. Neil

*It will cause huge trading disadvantages and personal hardships. Catherine

*Absolutely not! Besides which, the ETS is completely unnecessary for two reasons: it will have zero effect on climate and CO2 is GOOD for the planet, not bad. It is an atmospheric plant fertilizer! There should be more of it, not less and anyone who thinks CO2 is a noxious gas is a moron. Joe

*I suspect the reason National has continued with this ridiculous scheme is that it increases indirect tax revenue for the Government at a time when it needs every dollar it can squeeze out of the country to pay for all the out-of-control spending policies implemented by Labour before they were sent packing. Gary

*Defer it it until we can afford it, align it with Australia and don't base it on Industrial Countries. Lance

*It is frightening that we are doing this: there's nothing to gain and it is going to do so much hurt. I fear (really) for our future generations because there is something fundamentally wrong when governments can push through so many things that most its people are against and still get away with it. Colleen

*ETS: NZ's very own oilspill. Eneka

*A party which offered such promise before it won the last election, has proved to be gutless. If it continues on its merry way it won't see another term in powqer! Alan

*I just cant believe the hypocrisy, ignorance and straight out stupidity that Key, Smith, and Carter are showing. Their ETS "experiment is not only going to wreck NZ but destroy its export industries.As all costs including the ETS [tax] can be passed on down the line,there is only one sector that can pass them no further. The Export Producer is going to ware it all.They go belly-up, who underwrites NZ's imports of all the goods and services we all cant live without? Ced

*The trick for Key is to change his mind without being labelled a flip flop man. Until he can find the way out of this we will be lumped with the ETS and two or three other policies where we need to backtrack ...like the retirement age and a kiwibank sale. This the riddle of Key overall and we will see more of it. Jeremy

*Just another revenue grabbing scheme. Lots more G.S.T. for the tax man. Dave

*I have voted National for the past 40 years, but with their planned introduction of the ETS, against their previous statements they would not do so, I will NEVER vote for that party again - they just cannot be trusted. Despite John Key's polite smile and public comments, he is not to be trusted. Carl

*I am not at all convinced by Nick Smith's reasoning that the ETS Scheme is right for NZ. The only course is to defer the implementation of the 1st July ETS adoption. Keith

*The whole scheme is based on false statistics in the first instance. Its time for National to start listening to the voters - be the first party in along time to do so. Thats why I voted for you and I won't make that same mistake again if this goes through. Alan

*When so many people are struggling to provide necessities for themselves and their families, of course we cannot afford the ETS. When Health Boards cannot afford to provide surgery for patients with a bleak future, of course we cannot afford the ETS. When schools are constantly having to fund-raise in a difficult economic climate, we certainly cannot afford the ETS. One could go on. Why can't our politicians do the right thing and listen to the people they are supposed to serve. Our government seem to be doing all the things that will get them voted out at the next election. Dorothy

*Even if we could afford it, it is an absolutely useless exercise anyway which will achieve nothing but further impoverishment of the population. Selwyn

*I'm baffled as to why a seemingly intelligent government is continuing with this lunacy. Someone must be pulling some strings behind the scenes; the question is, Who? Trade blackmail by the EU? Brian

*Once upon a time the National Party was very frugal about wasting money. Now it seems they think up hairbrained schemes to spend and then expect the public to go along with them without consultation. Mary

*If we want to be a competitive economy where expansion of the job market with reasonable wages occurs, then NO, we cannot afford an ETS. If we want to be a world leading socialist nation that may be applauded in 100 years time, then yes, go for it. I'm with the NO faction. Peter

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*It's not only dumb, its a scam - based on the 'science' of intellectual morons. I have written to Nick Smith and got the usual 'we only use information from the IPCC'. Chris

*I am very disallusioned over this issue and have lost confidence in the National Party. Veda

*I am angry about this Bill. I have written directly to John Key and eventually received a reply saying that my letter had been "put on the desk of the Hon. Nick Smith". We need a huge number of people to tell this Government that the cost to us is significant and that the rest of the World just won't care in the least. It is an absolute non sense Bill. Peter

*This is one case where we need to follow, not lead, other countries! We cannot afford to live with these programmes. Health, education and feeding our families must come first!!! penalising. Russell

*Co2 is an essential part of the living cycle. Harry

*As someone who was looking to a National Government that was going to herald a new approach to politics in NZ I have been most disappointed, the direction in which they are taking the country is frightening. I am losing any confidence I had in John Key as a Prime Minister who could lead us in a new direction. This ETS is sheer political madness and one that will create hardship for the average New Zealand business and worker. If National continue on this tack they will be a one term government, and if this turns out to be the case then the alternative is positively horrifying. After reading the various articles over the weekend about MPs across all parties with their feet in the public trough, I fear very few can be trusted. Becoming frustrated, disillusioned and angry. Rob

*Nick Smith has no idea what he is doing. His explanation to me when I questioned him about it was "better to do something to reduce CO2 than nothing as we are not sure what is causing global warming". When I challenged the logic of his statement he called me an ignorant fool! Chris

*We are going to find it hard enough to pay for the increased cost of everything with the additional GST, without more costs added on!! Joy

*How can the National Party be so totally hypocritical to criticize the LP 3 years ago on their ETS then bring in the same thing now when every other major country is backing away from this massive scam? Don

*John Key and most of his cronies don't care about the ETS, because it wont directly affect them because we, the taxpayer, pay for all their living costs and other expenditure. Grahame

*Horticulture will be badly affected, especially heated greenhouses. Many businesses already struggling (flowers!, a luxury in an economic crisis) will be forced to close the doors. What happens to the (unskilled) labour force that has to be dismissed? Unemployment benefit will see many more people stand in line for a handout to keep their families alive, people who used to work and earn a reasonable living. Jacoba

*Absolutely NOT .... Keys and his cronies have proved themselves to be liars, they are out of control....Time for Kiwis to take a stand, and to think I voted for them!!! Tony

*This is nothing more than a mad world tax dreamed up by socialists. Wayne

*Why should New Zealanders have to pick up the global tab for a natural climate phenomonem which has been recurring on a cyclical basis for millions of years? Ross

*Well as far as I am concerned National has signed its own death warrant. I cant wait to see them thrown out of Parliment, they no longer have any place there. A bunch of turncoats, I would like to use stronger language but I will keep it moderate. Fraser

*Not in the current financial climate unless the aim is to Collapse the economy completely to a point where crime rates soar and socity breaksdown. John

*ETS = a guaranteed loss to the National Party 4 Party Votes 2011. Bob

*How can we afford to introduce a scheme that will kill our older and low paid citizens. Les

*ETS comes in, National goes out, simple ain't it? Peter

*Stop taxing the air my plants breathe! David

*It doesn't need it any more than a hole in the head. The duplicity of our politicians is absolutely disgusting. If they changed their minds like thay do in a real job, they would be out the door in a second. Hugh

*ETS political stupidity. Nick Smith is either stupid or a traiter he can take his pick. Ian

*We need to develop our own local based programmes to upgrade the natural capital resources. Remember the Kaingaroa pine plantings during the depression, they were a beginning. We need to learn what works and implement such successful plans for our natural resource management plans. Chris

*I firmly believe that the National Party is commiting political suicide in introducing the ETS at this time. Peter

*As Dr. David Evans has stated, " The carbon scare was known to be bogus in 2008". Catherine

*Just why National are persisiting with this lunacy is a complete mystery...it just does not make sense considering their earlier strong opposition to a carbon tax or any other form of ETS. There is a hidden agenda here. This will cost them the next election along side some other monumental blunders they have going on. (Fore shore and Seabeds, Indigenous Peoples, sovereignty flags etc, etc. Ronmac

*ETS= extra tax scam, how else is the govt going to balance its books without getting its own expenditure in order. Graham

*The minister undertook to take no unless other countries also did. So much for politicians honesty! Giles

*It will make some people wealthy, and the rest will pay and pay. End of the day the environment and NZ will pay. The money could be used for so many better things for the people of NZ and the NZ environment. Donald

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*Can anyone afford a white elephant? Walter

*We are poor. Our economy is in reality weak, our trading partners economies are going to get weaker - meaning we will get weaker! Lets get real. Peter

*Nick Smith should be called Thick Smith - his record for misjudgements ahs cost him dearly why should we put up with him? John

*I strongly support Michael Barnetts simple logic. Work at reducing emissions without using the big club. National is close to losing my support if this carries on. ACT is looking good to me. Brian

*If Nick Smith used his ministerial credit card to purchase some books and reports of scientists who have not been manipulated by world opinion but are willing to stand by their scientiific findings I would think it money well spent!! His cabinet title should be revised to MINISTER OF MYTHS. Miri

*Why put extra costs on all households when the economy is struggling now. The whole thing is a farce anyway. Judith

*National is not listening to it's voters, but are determined to lead this country into bankruptcy, hurting everyone. Me and all my extended family and many more peolple I have spoken to have decided we will NOT be voting National next election. John has gone deaf to his voters. Melody

*No! No! No! John Key and his government have fallen for the biggest con in the world's history. But with New Zealand's tweedledum and tweedledee approach to the "problem" by the two main political parties what chance is there for change? John

*We cannot afford such a draconian tax on our society. Trixie

*Many people think this is just another way of gathering an additional tax even though Nick Smith says the opposite, after all how can we believe him after his 2005 comments when in an opposition seat. Also can anyone seriously imagine anything NZ does will have any affect against the vast amount of emissions being emmited by the countries of Europe and USA and even Asia. Leah

*Is our government so thick as to even contemplate this???? H. F.

*Agree with opinion expressed. We cannot afford to place more financial cost on average NZ's. Aaron

*Utter madness - I will NOT vote again for national if this ETS is started. Chris

*I believe it is another form of tax that originated in america to boost the governments funds. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT U CALL IT. Rawiri

*This has nothing to do with climate change! Some ruthless b-----d has found a way to make big money off our gullibility! What I would like to know is who !!? Derek

*No one can afford stupidity, no matter how rich you think you are. The cost is unfathomable. Gert

*This government will not get my vote at the next election unless they start to run the country less like a bunch of socialists. At least Labour ADMITTED they were socialist... Neill

*It's a bit like cutting off your nose because there is something about it that is out of fashion. Ian

*Of course not! Get on the email and post and let the b......ds know your feelings. I can see real hardship coming in NZ thanks to this stupidity. And the increase in charges will be added to by the increase in GST - lose/lose. Grant

*It definitely should not be applied to the farming sector. Philip

*Total Madness we should never move ahead of our trading partners, especially Australia. David

*Just another impost on an already over taxed people. When will these fools realise that a nation can not tax it's self to prosperity. Michael

*This is nothing more, nor less, than a United Nations Tax on the developed democratic nations. Bob

*No No No...this is a ridiculous situation Key is continuing to follow...along with the Foreshore ...I cannot believe we as a Nation can be so pathetic..whilst one group of the Nation gets all they want all the rest will no doubt suffer. Audrey

*It is a tax, supposedly for re-distribution to a non emmitter. However, the ticket will be clipped by smart, lazy and non productive enterprises en-route to siphon real earnings into non earner pockets, destroying equity and enterprise. Anthony

*The ETS will achieve nothing good but do much harm. Ray

*I look forward to the Party that agrees to drop ETS at the next elections.ACT. NZ First? Keith

*Meaning ordinary NZers can't afford ETS. On the other hand it will make Govt or off shore companies better off taking our hard earned money! Jo

*And there will be more cost than just the obvious charges. This will snowball hugely. Lois

*Definitely not it should never happen National have lost me and my families vote. Clark

*It's hard to understand how the government can plan this tax when it opposed it so strongly two years ago. I am beginning to think that politicians think only of getting into power and staying in. In other countries politicians patriotically defend their country against this type of stupidity. John

*I just don't know why they are going ahead with this.What is the reason? Do they just want more tax? or have they made some deal with some unknown parties. If so this is seriously corrupt. Helen

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*Ridiculous waste of money. The bureaucracy involved in its administration will be horrendous. Josie

*Not until our trading partners also join this scheme. Roger

*Not only can we not afford it, we don't need it! National have betrayed us! Aphrodite

*Nick Smith knows as much about "climate change" as he does about Timber Saver but he has read Gareth Morgans book. Interesting to see TVNZ's Sunday program airing suggestions that modelling (w.r.t. the Icelandic volcano) cannot be relied on, pity they are under orders not to say anything anti ETS, there's a good story there! 16 days to go. John

*And what do you mean "live in a country where the elderly freeze and familys can't afford milk"? We already do live in such a country. ETS will be a death nell for this country and if those fat cat politicians can't see it they are idiots and should be replaced immediately. Why can't we as the voters of this country call for a vote of no confidience in this elected parliament? All of them, not one decent NZ supporting, NZ proud individual in the bunch. "Can't change things at this last date" is the cry. Bull-Hockey, if it was a pay increase or a perk hide it would be done in 4 minutes, untrustworthy, international-glory grabbing traitors. ETS will be the down fall of this country, and we have the entire elected parlimentary official and their "back room buddies" to blame. Start up a nationwide howl from every source possible, for a vote of NO CONFIDENCE in this elected posse of economic traitors. In my mind what they are doing is nothing more than TREASON on a grand scale. Wendy

*This is a totally Stupid new tax on people that will drivew up costs {the powers companies already have told us they will increase their costs. Any decrease in my personal income tax has already been eaten up by the ETS and GST increases and I will actually be a lot worse off now with ETS. Get rid of it I say. Michael

*I'm already planing to run less stock on my farm, now that's good for the country's production! Grant

*No scientific need for one. Chris

*It is crazy. All the generators including Genesis that owns coal burning Huntly will make windfall profits. So it is in all the generator's interests to keep Huntly burning coal. Bryan

*Looking forward to the next election when we can get rid of National, hopefully ACT is able to poll stronger as I don't want Labour in power either! Nigel

*This issue alone has the increasing potential to make the John Key lead coalition a one term government. Murray

*Good article - send it to a few Nats. Neville

*We can't afford ETS. Costs to all New Zealanders are rising faster than our promised "tax cuts" - interest rates, ETS, ACC levies, etc. In reality, will the extra we pay because of ETS do anything to change the climate? Laurence

This week's poll asks:

Can the country afford an ETS?

*An ETS is the last thing the country can afford. National should have repealed it when they became the government. It is ridiculous that they have hung onto even though Australia have now canned out. It's as if they really want to punish the public. Well, the public will not put up with that. It takes a while to get kiwis riled, but once we are fed up with a government's stupidity it takes a lot to change our mind! Stewart

*Hell no - the ETS should have been scrapped when Aussie pulled out. It would have been logical for them to do that then. Jane

*The whole thing is just a con. There is no global warming and carbon dioxide is not causing anything to heat up. It sickens me that our politicians can ignore the truth. Jim

*I wonder how National thinks they can stop these volcanoes emitting carbon dioxide - are they so convinced that man is changing the climate that they believe they can control nature? Well nature is showing all of these con-men politicians who is really the boss! Climate change is natural and introducing an ETS is madness - especially if they expect us to pay!!! Sue

*This ETS will chase even more people to Australia. At least the Aussie politicians listens to the public. Here we are treated like nobodies - except when they want our votes. It makes me sick. Michael