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Industry, emissions - Source: ONE News -
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The Maori Party is in a strong position to gain concessions from the government as it goes into negotiations on legislation to set up a new emissions trading scheme (ETS).
None of the other parties in parliament will support the bill and Climate Change Minister Nick Smith needs the Maori Party's votes to get it through parliament.
He says 10 "sticking points" will be under discussion.
One of them is how forest owners are dealt with under the ETS, and the Maori Party is looking for protection for iwi forest owners.
It also believed to want a Treaty of Waitangi clause put into the bill and a deal that will provide more home insulation for poor families.
Under pressure from opposition parties, Smith says there will not be any specific amendments to the bill that would give preferential rights to iwi forest owners.
He says there is an issue in that five iwi - including Ngai Tahu - who have settled treaty claims and are arguing they should be revisited as the settlements didn't take into account any change of value under the ETS.
Smith says iwi foresters also want to be allowed to grow trees on Department of Conservation land.
He indicated that is something he could agree to.
"It would be odd for DOC to be prepared to do deals with foreign companies to be able to carbon farm on New Zealand conservation land, and not be prepared to do so with iwi and other New Zealanders."
Smith would not say when he expects to reach a deal with the Maori Party, but he wants the bill enacted before next month's international climate change conference in Copenhagen.
