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Industry, emissions - Source: ONE News -
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A deal with the Maori Party appears to have secured support for the government to pass its troubled emissions trading scheme legislation.
It was reported on Monday night that five iwi would be given preferential treatment and allowed to grow trees on Department of Conservation land.
In return, the Maori Party would put its five votes behind the government, enough for a majority to get the bill through its final stages.
Climate Change Minister Nick Smith said it made sense to work with iwi, but the concession has not been welcomed by other parties.
ACT MP John Boscawen said his party strongly disagreed with it because preferential treatment for Maori was unfair on other foresters.
Labour leader Phil Goff said no details were known and it had been made behind closed doors.
The bill, which puts in place a modified version of the emissions trading scheme (ETS) passed by the previous government, ran into trouble with the select committee which considered it.
In a report released on Monday the cross-party committee said it could not agree on the future of the bill and made no recommendation to parliament.
With Labour, the Greens and ACT opposing it, the government had to rely on the Maori Party which has been asking for concessions including protection for iwi foresters and a Treaty of Waitangi clause put into the bill.
