Government spending not so 'clean and green'

"All New Zealanders are essentially giving climate polluters almost $31 million via the tax system, whether they like it or not," Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said. Photo / Mark Mitchell, New Zealand Herald

The Government is spending millions on increasing greenhouse emissions, making a mockery of attempts to fight climate change, the Green Party says.

"All New Zealanders are essentially giving climate polluters almost $31 million via the tax system, whether they like it or not," Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman said.

He said the the Government gave nearly $114m of free carbon credits to industries that caused climate change but received only $83m through the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

He claimed taxpayers picked up the $31m difference.

"National's ETS failure means that even if someone is trying to reduce their own carbon footprint, their taxes are subsidising growing New Zealand's overall greenhouse gas emissions. That's hugely unfair."

Dr Norman said the Scheme was a "farce" and had simply shifted money from taxpayers to the biggest polluters.

"Incredibly, if New Zealand's emissions continue to rise in the years ahead, the Treasury estimates that taxpayers will face up to $52 billion in costs."