Otago University research has found that British shoppers care more about the price of fresh produce than its origin or how much of an impact it has on the environment. No kidding!
So why has New Zealand introduced the Emission Trading Scam (ETS) again?
Well, ETS was conceived as a guilt-tax to change Kiwi's behavior of enjoying a modern society. It has been indroduced to promote New Zealand to the world as the epitome of a clean, green 100% pure country - for the marketing of exports, led by foods with consequent benefits for tourism.
So if consumers on the other side of the world don't care about air miles, will more visitors be attracted to New Zealand because of our world-leading ETS scheme?
Should the tourism sector in a small isolated country that relies upon fossil fuels to deliver travelers to our doors be concerned with the introduction of ETS?
Air New Zealand have begun increasing their prices. Once they get here, tourists will face increased cost at the petrol pump and bear the impost of general cost rises. Can someone more enlightened than us please tell us how this will encourage tourism?
The economic, social and moral implications are immense, however most New Zealanders seem to be oblivious to real-world consequences and would prefer to sit back in smug self denial by letting self-appointed "experts" like Keisha Castle-Hughes speak on their behalf.
Meanwhile the tourism and accommodation industries are happy to plod along and be dictated by institutionalised environmental evangelism in the naive belief that tourism will be stimulated with the impost of increased taxation.
Sorta makes you think...
