ACT Aims to Axe Climate Change Commission Over 'Ludicrous' Recommendations
New Zealand's Climate Change Commission has cost taxpayers $100 million since its establishment and is set to continue receiving $14-15 million per year, according to ACT New Zealand. The party claims that the commission's reports duplicate work already being done in government and recommend policies that harm the country.
One such proposal would tighten the 2050 emissions target, making the economy 2.2% smaller by 2035 and costing NZers $2 billion per year, rising to $12.5 billion annually by 2050. The commission has also proposed shrinking New Zealand's dairy herd, which could lead to production moving to dirtier countries.
ACT plans to abolish the Climate Change Commission as an independent Crown entity and transfer its monitoring and reporting duties to the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport. This would bring emissions monitoring together with the greenhouse gas inventory and the Emissions Trading Scheme under one department.
Paul Henry, ACT Candidate, stated: 'The Climate Change Commission has cost taxpayers $100 million since its establishment, and is costing a further $14-15 million every year it continues to exist. Left in place, that's another $42-45 million of taxpayer money gone by the next election spent on writing reports, duplicating work, and proposing ludicrous ideas that will be ignored.'