Groundswell NZ Delivers ~100K Petition to Parliament Against Emissions Trading Scheme
November 17, 2022
PHOTO: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
A petition calling on the government to stop its farm-level emissions pricing scheme has been delivered to Parliament.
The petition, organised by farm lobby group Groundswell, said the tax was ill-considered, and claimed it would result in worse outcomes for global emissions, the environment, the economy, and the country.
The petition was signed by about 100,000 people. Groundswell co-founder Bryce McKenzie said it showed there was support outside of just farmers.
McKenzie said Groundswell had been contacted by younger farmers not wanting to go into the family business, and older farmers selling up and going into tree farming instead.
“They just can’t handle it anymore. It’s getting severe. Unfortunately it won’t be until there’s a food shortage that people wake up and see how dire this really is,” he said.