-
Related
The government's decision to give key industries more time to adjust to the cost of their carbon emissions may have put its chances of passing the Emissions Trading Bill in jeopardy.
The Scheme , which is due to be phased in next year, is designed to help combat global warming by creating an incentive for businesses and households to make decisions that are good for the environment, rather than those which create greenhouse gas emissions.
Since the scheme's announcement, it has been criticised for putting the burden of climate change on consumers and small businesses while giving sectors like agriculture a five year grace period within which to comply.
And, on Tuesday, the government made 11th hour changes to the bill, confirming it would delay the introduction of a new petrol charge that would have added eight cents to every litre in 2009.
The change is being pushed back to 2011.
While Labour is likely to get support from United Future and New Zealand First, the Greens' disapproval of the latest bill changes leaves Labour three votes shy of the majority it needs.
The Green Party is frustrated over the deferment of the transport component of the scheme. The party believes it is no time to back down on petrol charges, particularly with traffic-choked roads.
Votes are also less likely to come from the Maori Party which claims Labour's backtracking is a case of political manoeuvring and ad-hoc policy.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says the government should not use struggling families as an excuse to put off saving the planet until after the election.
Co-leader Tariana Turia says the government obviously does not believe polluters should pay for their emissions and it should front up and tell voters how much they will be expected to pay for the actions of others.
Labour may now have to go cap in hand to National to get one of its cornerstone policies into law.
