Hon Dr Nick Smith Minister for Climate Change

25 November 2009 Speech

Third Reading

Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment Bill 2009

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The Government is facing near-universal opposition to the changes it wants to make to the Emissions Trading Scheme, Labour's Finance and Climate Change spokespeople said today.

The road to Copenhagen is paved with potholes, and the Government seems intent on driving us into every one of them.

21 July -- The Labour Party, the Greens and the Progressives will hold the equivalent of a parliamentary select committee inquiry into bank profits, says Labour finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

The Finance and Expenditure Committee's own report on its examination of the Reserve Bank's June monetary policy statement simply underlines the sheer irresponsibility of the committee in not proceeding with an inquiry into bank profits, says Labour finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

Today the Finance and Expenditure Committee, by majority, voted against initiating an inquiry into the relationship between the official cash rate and short term interest rates.

An inquiry into bank interest rates has been blocked by Government MPs on Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Committee.

Labour and Green MPs on the committee supported an inquiry and say that until recently it seemed to have backing from Government members on the committee.

3 April 2009 - The Green Party has called on the Government to broker a better deal for Kiwi businesses, workers and home-owners from the big Australian-owned banks following a critical report from the Finance and Expenditure Committee yesterday.

20 February 2009 - The Government has today issued its response to the Finance and Expenditure Committee's report on the future monetary policy framework.