Agriculture taken out of the Emissions Trading Scheme, ACT’s ‘culture of fear’, and ACT’s 15% goal for 2026 w/ ACT’s Simon Court: 17th June, 2024

Last week, the coalition government confirmed it would deliver on its election commitment to take agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

The Emissions Trading Scheme is a key tool for meeting New Zealand’s domestic and international climate change targets, by requiring businesses to measure and report on their greenhouse gas emissions, to surrender one ‘emissions unit’ to the Government for each one tonne of emissions they emit and by limiting the number of emissions units available to emitters.

Wire host Sofia Roger Williams asked the ACT Party’s Simon Court about this in terms of upholding New Zealand’s international obligations as well as how the new Pastoral Sector Group will tackle biogenic methane. 

She also asked Simon about reports of the ACT Party’s ‘culture of fear’ in its election campaign leadership and how the party is addressing them. 

Lastly, she asked about the ACT Party’s rally last Sunday where ACT leader David Seymour set a goal of 15% of the vote at the 2026 election.