Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith is touring the country asking people what they think about emissions targets. Eloise Gibson, our environment reporter, was at the Auckland gathering.
There were some surprisingly funny moments when Nick Smith came to talk to Aucklanders about climate change targets last Tuesday.
Most people in the packed meeting room at the Hyatt Regency hotel had turned up to say they supported Greenpeace's target of cutting emissions 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 - likely to be considerably bolder than what the Government ultimately commits the country to.
But at least one poor bloke thought everyone was talking about the ozone hole.
He demanded that Dr Smith tell him how much damage to the ozone layer was caused by methane, and how much was caused by carbon dioxide.
Without cracking a smile, the minister responded that, as far as he was aware, the ozone hole was caused by CFCs.
It was one of a few ridiculous moments in a mostly constructive meeting that ran almost double the allocated 1.5 hours.
When 16 people were still waiting to speak at the scheduled 9pm finish time, Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee noted that speakers were not obeying the voluntary three-minute limit.
"It's no good [setting voluntary limits]," yelled Greenpeace leader Bunny McDiarmid from the speaking queue. "You'll have to regulate." Cue laughter. "Bring on the nanny state," yelled someone else.
"In another moment of silliness, electricity consultant Brian Leyland - seemingly the only climate change sceptic in the room - was heckled by climate scientist Jim Salinger. "We have a flat earther here," he joked.
Dr Salinger went on to compare his opponent to a Holocaust denier. "And I can say that because of my ethnicity."
Dr Smith got a hard time for talking tough on climate change when his Government had reversed Labour's ban on incandescent lightbulbs, overturned rules banning new fossil fuel electricity generation and supported sending coal to developing countries.
The Government's relationship with the Act Party, whose climate change-rubbishing leader, Rodney Hide, is a minister in the National-led Administration, also came in for scrutiny.
The overwhelming sentiment expressed by the largely young and environmentally-conscious crowd was fear.
They were worried that the Government would not limit New Zealand to its "fair" share of emissions.
