Thursday, September 17, 2009



Climate change: Slapped down again

Having been slapped down on benefits, the Maori party last night turned to insulation, claiming that their payoff for support in gutting the ETS would be the government funding insulation refits in 2,000 Maori homes:

"We've got 2000 houses without them having to pay any money at all because our people are not availing themselves of the opportunity to get their houses insulated because they couldn't afford the $2500," he said.

Asked to confirm this was for Maori only, Sharples said: "Yeah, these are particularly Maori."

In Question Time today (transcript out soon here), Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee said that that's not true either.

So, what are the Maori Party getting in exchange for their support? Anything at all? And how come they consistently think they are getting quite specific things, when National thinks they aren't? Is communication between the two parties that bad, or are National again dealing in bad faith?