By Annabelle Jackman
Climate Change Minister Nick Smith was reminded today of the support National traditionally enjoys from farmers.
They arrived by the bus load, 250 farmers, not to support Smith, not even to listen, but to vent about the Emissions Trading Scheme.
And local MP Eric Roy struggled to keep order.
Mr Smith may have failed to convince them of the merits of ETS, but he gave as good as he got.
“Are you not stupid enough to realise that agriculture is not in the Emissions Trading Scheme at this point,” says Mr Smith.
The Minister appeared unfazed by his reception.
“This meeting is one of the more conservative that is concerned that the ETS is imposing some costs. A number of people here are climate change sceptics, that’s fair enough in a democracy,” says Mr Smith.
But some were left feeling a little short changed from a meeting many had driven a long way for.
“There’s still a lot of questions that have to be asked. I feel like, ‘What is the price of carbon?’ ‘How’s it going to be traded?” says Mataura farmer Henry McFadzine.
“We weren't able to have a proper debate with him on those questions,” he says.
Questions that may be answered when Mr Smith holds his next ETS meeting in Mosgiel later this month.
3 News