National candidate clarifies earlier claim that humans are not causing climate change

Lloyd Budd, selected by the National Party to replace Shane Reti in the Whangārei electorate, initially argued that climate events are linked more to intensified construction than to greenhouse-gas emissions, citing a Harvard real-estate course. When questioned about his stance on global warming, he replied, “I don’t think so, no.” Following the interview’s release, Budd used Facebook to say his remarks were misinterpreted and that he does believe climate change is anthropogenic, emphasizing the role of poor urban planning in New Zealand’s flood risk.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he had not seen the full comments but welcomed Budd’s clarification, affirming that human activity contributes to climate change. Labour leader Chris Hipkins noted that Budd’s view aligns with New Zealand First’s Winston Peters, who also questions the man-made nature of climate change. The episode highlights intra-party tensions over climate policy ahead of the upcoming election.