Labour takes a big swing at National on climate change
Labour says National are “at best greenwashing, at worst they are climate change denying”. The accusations come a day after New Zealand was awarded the dubious honour of Fossil of the Day at Cop27
Mōrena and welcome to The Bulletin for Wednesday, November 16, by Anna Rawhiti-Connell. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.
In today’s edition: up to 25% of residential property listings could sell at a loss; National and Labour reach compromise on electoral bill; reactions and analysis of the proposed RMA reform; but first, Labour goes after National over climate change policy record
Megan Woods says National's opposition of climate policies leaves Christopher Luxon with a hole greater than Auckland’s annual emissions twice over (Photos: RNZ/Angus Dreaver)
Labour accuses National of greenwashing, being climate change “denying”
Labour is out this morning with some figures based on Ministry of Environment modelling which they say shows “the net effect of constantly opposing policies to reduce emissions leaves Christopher Luxon with a hole greater than Auckland’s annual emissions twice over if he keeps New Zealand’s climate targets.” Labour’s climate change spokesperson Megan Woods said: “When Luxon came in as the saviour of the National Party he called climate change the ‘preeminent issue of our generation, without doubt’ and ‘the number one issue around the world we have to deal with’ – what happened? At best the National Party is greenwashing, at worst they are climate change denying.”
“Always a great idea to release statements late on a Saturday night when everyone is partying and maybe too hungover”
These very strong words have been rebuked by National’s acting climate change spokesman Todd Muller who called the attack a “desperate beat-up by the Labour Party”. National backed the Zero Carbon Act last term, although it wants to make some changes. The party is yet to release its final climate policy ahead of the election. Labour’s swing comes a day after New Zealand was awarded “Fossil of the Day” at Cop27, an award designed to shame countries that stymie progress at global climate talks. You can see the certificate for yourself right here. It’s awarded by the Climate Action Network (CAN). The statement from CAN notes that it’s “always a great idea to release low-ambition climate statements late on a Saturday night when everyone is partying and maybe too hungover.”
Government pledges another $15m from last year’s $1.3b funding commitment
As Stuff’s Olivia Wannan reports, the Fossil of the Day award is for our statement supporting a call by other developed countries for negotiations on creating a central loss and damage fund to carry on for two more years. Minister of climate change James Shaw said “We want to make sure we don’t foreclose any options on the precise arrangements for how loss and damage funding is delivered, as small countries like those in the Pacific can find working with the large global funds quite difficult and frustrating.” The government pledged another $15m yesterday towards assisting countries with adapting to the impacts of climate change. That will be drawn from the $1.3b funding commitment made last year.
"We are not drowning, we are fighting".
This issue of loss and damage is being pushed hard at Cop27 by smaller and developing nations. Ellen Rykers covered it very well in last week's edition of our environment newsletter,
and will pick up more Cop27 coverage in today's edition. Our statement about wanting the loss and damage fund negotiations to carry on for two more years was in support of a call from the UK. The UK has failed to pay out more than $300m that it promised to two key climate funds. Concerns are mounting about Rishi Sunak’s commitment to climate change. In our neck of the woods, Pacific nations are calling out Australia and the US on their lack of progress, taking to the streets to protest, chanting "We are not drowning, we are fighting".
The berry-powered drink helping brains perform at peak
Could a locally formulated blackcurrant-based drink be the one to knock coffee off its perch? Right now on The Spinoff we talk to the co-founders of Ārepa, a nootropics drink with big dreams to improve brain health worldwide.
Zac Robinson and Angus Brown started Ārepa with a vision to improve people’s brain health by providing an alternative to the caffeine and sugar-filled energy drinks that currently exist. Now, the pair have expanded their business into Australia, and they have their sights set on the rest of the world.
Read more about the Ārepa story here (sponsored)
Up to 25% of residential property listings could sell at a loss
CoreLogic research shows almost 3% of properties were sold at a loss in the three months to September, compared with nearly 1% in the fourth quarter of 2021. Chief property economist Kelvin Davidson says he expected the decline to accelerate. Davidson is predicting up to a quarter of residential property listings will sell at a loss if interest rates continue their upward trajectory and unemployment rates lift. Auckland's share of profit-making re-sales reduced by 2.6% , the lowest figure since the last quarter of 2019. Some perspective though: most people were still getting a price well above what they originally paid. Figures show profits of more than $400,000 in Tauranga, Auckland, and Wellington.
Government reaches compromise with National to get bill over the line
Bit of a contrast to today's lead here but Labour and National have reached consensus on the the Māori Electoral Option bill. A bipartisan approach was needed to pass the bill, as it requires changes to the Electoral Act and therefore needs 75% of parliament, or a referendum, to support it. The bill initially proposed allowing Māori to switch between the general and Māori rolls at any time, as many times as they would like, including on polling day. It included an exception for by-elections. The compromise means exceptions will also be made for the three months up to general and local body elections. The Green party say an historic opportunity to make our democracy more accessible for Māori voters has been missed.
Is the Spatial Planning Act the more radical of the RMA reforms?
I may have RIPed the RMA a bit early yesterday based on this report from Thomas Coughlan on the Resource Management Act reform announcement. It may take ten years to implement. The Spatial Planning Act is being described as the minor player next to the major Natural and Built Environments Bill, but BusinessDesk’s Pattrick Smellie thinks that it’s actually the more radical and powerful reform (paywalled). As Smellie writes, the regional spatial plans will dictate ahead of time where it will be permissible to build, while identifying areas where environmental, agricultural, Māori and other priorities will be preserved. “Once they've been agreed, prospective consents under the natural and built environments law won't be challengeable if the regional strategies already allow for an activity to occur in a particular area.” National, Act and the Greens have all criticised the reforms. Auckland mayor Wayne Brown sort of said something nice, writing “Two bills before parliament is at least progress, for which David Parker should be congratulated.”
Click and collect
More news from the prime minister’s time in Viet Nam and its good for lime lovers
What our population of five million looks likes on a planet on eight billion
Good scoop from Newsroom’s Marc Daalder –cabinet overrode a recommendation from top health official to maintain the mask mandate for public transport and other close contact situations
A sea snake, doing quite well, was found in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour –there is a hypothesis that rising ocean temperatures could make encounters with sea snakes more common here. React more calmly than I did and follow DOC advice
Widely expected that Donald Trump will announce his bid for the Republican nomination for the 2024 Presidential election today
Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz.
If you liked what you read today, share The Bulletin with friends, family and colleagues.
After 21 years in the piercing industry, Wendy Berkhan thought she'd seen it all. Then a woman walked into her Thames crystal shop and proved her very wrong. Alex Casey writes about the rise of botched "backyard" piercings and the people calling for tighter regulations. Stewart Sowman-Lund reveals the National MP advertising on What’s On Invers, the "anti-vax" website blacklisted by RNZ. Ben Gracewood fixes banking. Catherine McGregor gets ready for the Fifa World Cup by watching a bleak new documentary about the sport’s astonishingly corrupt governing body. Emily Writes struggles to admit that she may in fact be a good parent.
Sir Steve Hansen on the differences between the men's and women’s game
Interesting comments from Hansen here on the beleaguered All Blacks. He watched the All Blacks play Scotland with the sound off, saying he found listening to the commentators “a disgrace”. Hansen said “This wouldn’t happen in the women’s game and we’ve lost our way in the men’s game when it comes to how we watch it and commentate on it.” I do think he could have a point. When it comes to the big differences we’ve witnessed between the Black Ferns and the All Blacks, some of the issues lie with the institution and years steeping in a particular culture, and perhaps not entirely with the players. The prime minister has backed calls for pay equality for the Black Ferns.
Chile’s First Lady chucks in the job
We don’t have an official First Lady/First Man role here but many countries do. In Chile, the First Lady is meant to run six foundations and oversee a range of programmes. It’s a demanding, full-time job for no pay. This is a great read from the Washington Post, published on Stuff about Irina Karamanos, Chile’s now-former First Lady. She is still the partner of Gabriel Boric, who is still the president of Chile, but she’s decided she doesn’t actually want to be the First Lady and is restructuring the responsibilities out to ministries who she believes will do a better job. Karamanos is hoping to return to work as a researcher. A real “why has this been the only way?” kind of read.
