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Keisha Castle Hughes wearing the Sign On T-shirt - Source: ONE News -
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Keisha Castle-Hughes may yet get to talk to the Prime Minister about climate change.
The Whale Rider star has challenged John Key to meet her after he said she should stick to acting, when asked about her involvement in a campaign calling for New Zealand to make a 40% cut to greenhouse gas emissions.
Key now says his comments should be seen in context as being rather flippant.
He says he's pretty busy right now but is happy to have a chat with her at some stage.
But he says it remains important to remember the 40% cut target
sought by Castle-Hughes and others would have a catastrophic impact
on the economy.
Key had told a gathering of 500 business people in Brisbane on
Wednesday that his advice to Keisha is stick to acting.
Castle-Hughes has been a vocal advocate for Greenpeace's Sign On
campaign, which calls for a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions by 2020.
New Zealand is expected to release a considerably lower target at
informal climate change talks in Copenhagen next week.
Castle-Hughes joined the Greenpeace boat Esperanza for its tour
through the Cook Islands to raise awareness of global warming,
concluding that "our Pacific neighbours are suffering".
"I saw the real and devastating impacts of a changing climate -
coral bleaching, homes battered by cyclones, erosion and food crops
affected by rising sea levels," she said on her return.
The 19-year-old mother-of-one vowed to meet with Key to discuss the
issue but the prime minister suggested she make a submission
through the climate change minister.
