Everyone is asking this question and yes, Duncan a number of us have been talking about the slippage in the scheme down the order paper. We are hearing only negative things but maybe some deal with NZ First was done this morning. Bold move by the PM is true given what is about to come out.
Anyway TV3's Duncan Garner has tried to answer this question in his blog
Is the Emissions Trading System dead?Added 29 July, 2:00PM.
Has anyone noticed how the Government's dear and beloved Emissions Trading Scheme legislation is today sitting at number 31 on the order paper?
To be fair it could make it up the order paper very quickly. That's the Government's prerogative and right. But right now it's languishing.
It's a signal that the legislation is on the skids. When was the last time David Parker and Helen Clark talked about it? When was the last time they talked about compensation for households? It looks dead - at least before the election anyway.
If the election is in 3 months, then Clark has 6 weeks to pass the ETS into law before the house rises. She doesn't have the support. She needs Winston and NZ First. Maybe she can keep him as a Minister in return for his support. But there are so many opposing groups that now want the ETS sent back to select committee for reconsideration.
My sources around Parliament say 6 weeks ago the Government was 70-30 in favour of passing it before the election. 3 weeks ago, I'm told they were 50-50. Today, I'm told it is 30-70.
Neither Clark nor Parker will say it's dead. Neither will say it'll pass. It's in limbo land - and no one is pumping any oxygen into it to keep it alive. Unless Peters rescues Clark, her dream scheme - the one that helped her get a top United Nations environmental award - is dead. Will she hand her award back too?
And given most of the Nats belong to the Climate Change sceptics society, the scheme could be seriously watered down by next year.
