2020 Election: ‘I don’t know why I’d make such silly statements’ – National’s Judith Collins responds to attacks on farm policy

National leader Judith Collins is fighting back attacks from the left on her farm policy, saying the Greens are “hysterical.”

And he accuses Labor leader Jacinda Ardern of “going for the jugular” by saying that the National Party had changed its position on climate change.

“We have been very clear about the zero carbon legislation that we wanted changes,” Collins said.

“We said we would do that, so there is no change.”

Collins unveiled National’s farm policy on tall grass at a Gisborne ranch and vowed to undo “the stupidest things” that the Labor-led government had passed regarding the agricultural sector.

In his sights were nine recent freshwater reforms that he promised to review or replace, changing the place of agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme and seven changes to the Zero Carbon Law.

The changes would include reviewing both the methane target and the use of the forest offset level to achieve climate change targets. His policy does not suggest that he would repeal the Act or all freshwater reforms.

But the Labor leader called the policy “looking back.” Ardern said it was “hugely disappointing” that the National Party had changed its position on climate change.

Collins called this “disinformation” because, while National had voted in favor of the Zero Carbon Act, it had always been committed to making changes if it won the right to rule.

“I don’t know why he would do that and make such silly statements,” Collins told the Herald.

“What has changed is that now he is going for the jugular.”

And he said the Greens lived in a “fool’s paradise” for saying that National’s policy showed the party to be “dangerous and does not care about our planet or our grandchildren.”

“National wants future generations to inherit a decimated environment and unstable climate for the sake of winning some votes,” said co-leader James Shaw.

“Climate action and environmental protection go beyond politics, but that’s clearly not something National is willing to accept.”

Collins replied, “Frankly, they are hysterical.”

He even got a little emotional when he heard the Greens’ statement at a press conference and said, his voice cracking: “It was hard to find something good to say about that.”

“They are not actually green with the environment, they are green with envy.”

Collins spent the day in Gisborne visiting an early childhood education center, a transportation company, and dodging cowpats at a ranch.

Making the most of her alertness 1, she shook hands with many supporters, many of whom congratulated her on her “performance” during the TVNZ debate on Monday.

Several people said that they had really benefited from the Provincial Growth Fund and asked what National would replace it with.

Speaking with farmers who had come to see the agricultural policy announcement, Collins was again excited to speak about farmers after having his eyes misted at a public meeting in Matamata the day before.

The national leader said she “cried” because she grew up on a farm, identified with the farmers who, she said, “felt almost heartbroken.”

“They feel almost sorry for their work. I look at them and I think it’s so unfair that it’s not something that should happen.”

“There is a very nasty line that has emerged over the last two decades from New Zealand’s split into rural and urban – it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, there is a much better way and that is to understand that we can all work together. .

“It’s not one or the other. You don’t have to disrespect people just because you don’t understand what they’re doing.”