We’re very pleased to have ACT leader Rodney Hide respond to your questions as part of our Interview the Leaders series.
Question to all leaders:
Of which of your achievements in politics are you most proud?
Making the IRD legally and culturally more accountable and responsive and getting my Regulatory Responsibility Bill to the Commerce Committee and, I hope, into law. I feel proud and privileged every day to be the MP for Epsom.
From reader r0b: Do you believe that the Earth’s climate is warming? If it is, is the warming dangerous? if it is dangerous, what does ACT believe we should do about it
I don’t like to take issue with questions but this one I can’t let pass. 1) I find it disturbing that questions of climatology are now cast in terms of belief, i.e. “Do you believe the Earth’s climate is warming?”, not about the facts and the testing of our theoretical understanding of climate; 2) the earth’s temperature has never been static and so whether it is warming or cooling or staying the same depends on the time period you choose.
Now to the questions.
The earth has been warming almost continuously for 18,000 years after 100,000 years of the ice ages. Orbiting satellites over the last 18 years have measured a slight decrease in average global temperatures.
The “warming” is NOT dangerous.
ACT intends to stop the Emissions Trading Scheme which will prove extremely costly to New Zealand for no gain. We need to negotiate a much better deal than Kyoto I in the second round. We need a deal that is Smart Green with Smart Green policies for New Zealand, not costly political showcases that don’t deliver
From reader Burt: Would ACT implement tax deductibility for private health and education fees in recognition that by purchasing these services privately tax payers are funding the public system that they do not use?
Yes.
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