Copenhagen climate change shock

David Williams reports for Stuff:

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has been embarrassingly dumped from a climate change debate by the BBC in a move that may stoke trans-Tasman rivalries, Key has been elbowed out of the BBC World “Greatest Debate on Earth” on Thursday by his Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd.

The debate in Copenhagen’s New Concert Hall will include Mexican President Felipe Calderon and South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, before an audience of 1000 people. [. . . ]

Greenpeace political advisor Geoff Keey said the dumping was a “bit of a knock back”. He thought Rudd’s role as a special negotiator in Copenhagen may have led to the Australian leader being preferred for the debate.

You don’t say.

“Maybe we’re [New Zealand] simply not seen as a player.”

You don’t say.

Monitor: Steve Whitehouse