Today, a speech delivered by Climate Change Minister Nick Smith at a Sydney conference, attracted a lot of criticism from the Labor, since it did not state any significant proposal to handle environmental, economic and energy issues.

Labor Environment Spokesman, Charles Chauvel said of the speech, "It showed that National has no plan for the economic, energy and environmental challenges that lie ahead".

During the Australia-New Zealand Climate Change conference, Dr. Smith drew out the modifications in policies that National made to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), after the party took to power in 2008.

The monetary affect on small and moderate size emissions-intensive businesses, which are open to trade, were reduced.

Dr. Smith said that there were indications that the ETS was promoting companies in order to do something about the weather change. This would also have a positive influence on forest plants, which would in turn, assist New Zealand in meeting its global emissions diminutions commitments.

Smith also talked about country-wide home insulation plan. It is a Green Party initiative that offers funding and intends to retrofit more than 180,000 houses with insulation and heating.

He also said that people should be motivated to make a switch to electric cars and funding should be awarded to sustain domestic biodiesel manufacturers.