Source: Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers is welcoming comments from New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones today expressing deep concern about the impact Waikato Region Plan Change 1 could have on farmers.
Speaking at the Primary Industries New Zealand Summit in Auckland, Jones said he feared for the future of farmers if Plan Change 1 (PC1) is implemented.
“The level of burden that these new potential rules and regulations place upon landowners, veggie growers, and farmers, I think they are unbearable.”
Jones said New Zealand First would seek key commitments from National as discussions continue over Resource Management Act reforms.
“Number one, no single new rule or regulation can be operationalised unless it has the concurrent sign-off of the Director General of Agriculture, so we've got someone whose perspective is firmly focused on the economic viability of the primary sector.”
Jones said New Zealand First would also oppose interpretations of Waikato River settlement legislation that undermine food production at a time when we have a cost of food crisis.
“If we believe your industry is at the centre of our economic fortunes, then we need a regulatory framework that enables it to grow and expand, and throw the resources at it, so it can genuinely help us dig ourselves out of the post-COVID hole that we're still in.”
Jones’ comments came on the same day Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay also addressed growing concerns about the effects PC1 could have on farmers.
“It doesn’t make sense to have a new national planning system adopted by Parliament before the election but for the Waikato to be sentenced to rules that were developed under the old system,” McClay said at the Primary Industries NZ Summit.
“We will instruct officials to provide advice on options to better align rulemaking in the Waikato with the replaced RMA.”
Federated Farmers Waikato vice president Andrew Reymer said it was hugely encouraging to hear senior ministers acknowledging how serious the situation is.
“We've repeatedly said that it makes no sense to continue with Plan Change 1 while the Government is reforming the resource management system.
“We’re grateful to Ministers Jones and McClay for standing up today and assuring Waikato farmers they not only recognise the problem, but that they intend to do something about it.