Simon Bridges is telling farmers not to be grateful to Winston Peters and New Zealand First, suggesting it would be like thanking arsonists for putting out their own fire.
Bridges, Leader of the Opposition, told Rural Exchange on Friday that farmers' gratitude towards the Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader would be misplaced.
"The old crocodile, you know who I mean, he'll be saying, 'look I've saved you'," Bridges told host Dominic George. "Well mate, he's the Deputy Freakin' Prime Minister.
"He was in the Cabinet that passed this stuff [the Zero Carbon Bill] originally so don't be grateful for him when he's caused months and months of uncertainty."
Bridges said farmers giving credit to New Zealand First would be "like saying to the arsonists, 'look we're grateful you in the end put out the fire'".
When the Zero Carbon Bill passed earlier this month Peters said in a statement that New Zealand First had "fought for a predictable transition for our farming community and sensible measures to reduce emissions".
"A reigned-in Climate Commission mandate, split gas targets for carbon dioxide and biogenic methane and a predictable methane reduction path from 2020 to 2030 are among the key changes to the Bill New Zealand First negotiated."
Peters also highlighted how the Government delayed agriculture's entry into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) until at least 2025, opting instead for a sector-led plan to address agricultural emissions.
Introducing a Zero Carbon Act and an independent Climate Commission is part of New Zealand First's coalition agreement with Labour - so it was no surprise when Peters supported the legislation.
The New Zealand First leader blasted National after the Bill's passing for "twisting and turning at every step" of its progression through Parliament.
Bridges is frustrated that New Zealand First is taking credit for sticking up for farmers when the party opposed all of its amendments the Bill, which he says would have benefitted the rural community.
National supported it through to its final reading, but always disagreed with the biogenic methane reduction target of between 24 and 47 percent of methane emissions by 2050.
"I appreciate there will be farmers out there, some who will be worried, saying, 'oh, what did you do that for Simon?'" Bridges told Rural Exchange, discussing National's support.
"Look, it's this simple, the framework is good, setting up an independent Climate Commission is good, but there's a bunch of stuff like the methane target that's just plain wrong and going too far.
"If we have the privilege of being in government we will change them."
National wanted to scrap the methane target and leave it up to the Climate Change Commission to decide, but New Zealand First insisted on keeping it, despite Climate Change Minister James Shaw being open to the idea.
It led Bridges to lash out at New Zealand First earlier this month, describing the party as "no friend" of farmers and regional New Zealanders.
Peters couldn't be reached for comment on Friday - he's currently travelling.
Earlier this month, Peters told Newshub the decision not to support National's amendments on the Zero Carbon Bill was made by three Government parties.
Bridges told Rural Exchange after visiting regional communities he's picked up a "sense" people have that "the Government doesn't believe in them and wants them to do less of what they do".
He said looking ahead to the 2020 election, National is confident its West Coast candidate Maureen Pugh will beat the electorate's current MP, Labour's Damien O'Connor, because locals feel neglected by the Government.
"I reckon we're going to take him."
