Christopher Luxon pointed to fast-track legislation supporting the construction of more renewable energy projects.
"Our goal is not emissions and 100 percent renewables for the sake of being 100 percent renewable, that is a co-benefit or a byproduct of us actually pursuing more energy independence and more energy security," he said.
With New Zealand First campaigning on an exit from the government's emissions obligations under the Paris Agreement, however, he equivocated.
"We're all here in our government capacity today, not our party capacities," Luxon said.
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