This afternoon in Question Time, Green MP Dr Kennedy Graham asked the Prime Minister a series of questions on climate change, starting with this:
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM to the Prime Minister: Did Pacific Island leaders with whom he met during his recent trip convey any concerns over the threat climate change poses to vulnerable Pacific island countries; and, what expectations, if any, did they raise with him regarding New Zealand’s policy in response to that regional threat?This was then followed up by serious questions on climate change targets and plans to accept climate change refugees. The Prime Minister's response was to endlessly repeat his soundbite of the day: that we are "taking the problem seriously".
No we're not. If we were taking the problem of climate change seriously, we'd actually be doing something about it. Instead, the government has put the ETS on hold, repealed all existing policy, and is currently desperately trying to avoid setting a credible emissions reduction target. If that's "taking the problem seriously", then I'd hate to see what doing nothing looks like...
