what we don't need more of
I am mixed on this, as reported by 3 News.
"The cost to taxpayers of playing our part in reducing global carbon emissions has more than doubled to an estimated $110 billion. But Maori will get a special deal - it's the price for Maori Party support of the Government's Emissions Trading Scheme."
The deal will see Maori foresters pay nothing to grow trees on Department of Conservation land, which can be harvested and sold for carbon-credit profits. In return, the Maori Party will support the ETS.
Five of New Zealand's richest iwi will gain millions more in the deal.
The deal is essentially compensation for iwi who claim the Crown did not tell them the forests they gained in treaty settlements would be devalued by an emissions trading scheme.
DOC has already earmarked conservation land for planting trees, but it wants commercial foresters to pay for the land. Iwi leaders want it for free, and to retain ownership over the trees for later sale.
"It makes great sense," says Dr Smith. "This is about finding a win-win where New Zealand gets the benefit of getting additional trees being planted, iwi are able to benefit from some of the carbon credits."There is no getting around the fact that iwi were going to be the losers and this concession goes some way to compensating for that. But i can't help worry when I see Dr Smith look so happy.
1 comment:
Kia ora Marty
The deal is good for all Maori on a number of levels. It helps the Crown restore faith with Ngai Tahu over a broken promises to disclose information held by the Crown but not known to Ngai Tahu when the price was set for us to BUY THE FORESTS!! Folks like BB seem to think we did not have to pay for them or that there was heaps of lawyers involved.
We did not need lawyers to know the Crown chose to keep stuff to themselves they ought to have told us. The Crown had to get a lawyer to write a report that exonerated the Crown - like there would be a different outcome.
The whole solution as put to the Crown is a stunning way of allowing the Crown to acheive the objectives of afforestaion and carbon sequestion and allowing Maori to particpate by way of reasonable preference in the process in a way they can generate cash.
There will be employment opportunities for regional communities. And guess what - most will be in the South Island in the NTT so our regional communities.
If iwi don't take up this opportunity there are lots of private compamies who want to.
Other thing is, as with the last National government - they are not the parternal (or maternal) smother Maori - they are into devolving opportunites to allow iwi maori to take their own path
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