One statement posted on the government’s official website in the past 24 hours has generated headlines around the world.
It’s a joint statement from the Prime Ministers of New Zealand, Australia and Canada – Christopher Luxon, Anthony Albanese and Justin Trudeau. They are calling for the recent pause in hostilities to be resumed and support urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.
World attention is reflected in these headlines:
Reuters:
Canada, Australia and New Zealand support urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the prime ministers of the…
Anadolu Ajansı:
WASHINGTON. Australia, Canada and New Zealand urged an international effort Tuesday for a “sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip conflict…
AFR:
Anthony Albanese has joined his Canadian and New Zealand counterparts in condemning Israel and Hamas amid the escalating bloodshed and…
ABC:
Anthony Albanese has joined the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand in calling for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.
The Guardian:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has signed a statement alongside his New Zealand and Canadian counterparts calling for a sustainable…
And how has the position taken by the NZ, Australian and Canadian prime ministers gone down with the Labour Opposition?
A few weeks ago – when he was still caretaker Prime Minister – Chris Hipkins called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, saying “the violence and the killing has to stop”.
He stressed he had made the announcement as Labour leader, not caretaker Prime Minister.
But it had become “untenable” for him to remain silent, he said.
Those with an ear to their radios this morning would have heard that Opposition politicians say they would have preferred a firmer statement.
But no press statement from Hipkins – or anyone else in the Labour Party – has been sent to us (at time of writing) in response to the joint statement by the three Commonwealth prime ministers .
Nor has any statement been posted on Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines
In fact, no statement from Labour has been posted on that site since December 5, when Labour’s immigration spokesperson, Phil Twyford, called on the Government to follow the example of Australia and help New Zealanders’ close family members stuck in Gaza to escape and take shelter here.
Scoop’s Latest Politics Headlines section does have a statement from Rod Carr, chair of He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission (how long will it take to have that mouthful sorted out under the new government?)
Carr’s statement was prompted by the Minister of Climate Change releasing the Commission’s final advice to inform the Government’s plan to meet New Zealand’s greenhouse gas reduction goal for 2026-2030.
The commission provides advice on New Zealand’s emissions budgets, which work as stepping stones towards our 2050 climate change targets. The latest report provides policy guidance and strategies for meeting the second emissions budget (2026-2030).
While the commission’s analysis shows the country has made progress, it is not on track to meet its climate goals for the end of this decade, Carr counsels.
In his statement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts welcomed the Climate Change Commission’s advice on the second emissions reduction plan.
“This Government will take the actions required to deliver our climate change targets,” Mr Watts says.
“We will now consider the Commission’s recommendations as we prepare the second emissions reduction plan.
“New Zealanders want actions, not words, on reducing our emissions and the Government is already getting these actions underway.
“The Government is starting work on doubling renewable energy production and removing consenting barriers in our first 100 days in office.”
Ministers and officials will now consider the Commission’s report.
The second emissions reduction plan is due to be published by the end of 2024 under the legislation. Final decisions on the content of the plan will made by the Government.
- The full Climate Change Commission report, with supporting documents and further information, is available on its website:
The executive summary for the report is available here: https://www.climatecommission.govt.nz/public/Advice-to-govt-docs/ERP2/final-erp2/Executive-Summary-2023-Advice-to-inform-the-strategic-direction-of-the-Governments-second-emissions-reduction-plan.pdf
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Joint statement from Prime Ministers Christopher Luxon, Anthony Albanese and Justin Trudeau.
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1 comment:
I did a word search of Carr's document for the word "nuclear". COP38 recommends tripling nuclear.
If the was a genuine crisis nuclear would be part of the mix
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