increase font size
Jacinda Ardern.
Call it what you like -- water tax, royalty on water use or a water use charge -- it’s an unfair proposal, another ploy by the Government to charge its coffers at the expense of the country’s hardworking farmers.
Labour’s talk of a ‘royalty’ for irrigation water has put the farming sector on edge; the idea of a 10c/litre charge as proposed by the Greens is now more than a dark cloud on the horizon.
And if Jacinda Ardern wins the key to the top office in the Beehive next month she will be working with the Greens.
Farmers are terrified by the potential effects on farming families, rural communities and the entire economy.
Ardern says she would consult widely if she gained office, but she has already hinted that a royalty on water is coming; it may not be 10c/litre but would be close to that.
Farmers and irrigators are rightly demanding more information from Labour; they fear the devil could be in the detail. How could a water tax possibly be implemented in practice, given the differences in weather and water use across the country? It would be a complex administrative nightmare.
Irrigators are already indicating that the water charge proposed by Labour has the potential to affect every New Zealander.
The extra costs of a water tax would inevitably be passed on to consumers, meaning higher prices for dairy products, food, wine, beer and more. Are we going to penalise communities whose drier climate needs more irrigation?
Companies taking pristine New Zealand water and bottling it for export have raised the ire of environmentalists. Those opposed to such exports should push the Government for a tax on them.
A general levy on irrigation water makes no sense.
Farmers are opposed to any royalty on irrigation water, especially when it remains unclear what purpose it would serve other than collecting revenue.
Federated Farmers says its members are working hard to farm within the limits imposed by environmental standards and the desire by all New Zealanders – farmers included – to clean-up water quality hot-spots.
Adding an extra cost in the form of a water tax is a perverse incentive for farmers to intensify their activity, and deprives them of income, at worst putting them out of business and at best leaving them with less money to spend on environmental protection work.
And most dairy farmers already spend heavily on water reticulation, whose repairs and maintenance the farmer pays for.
Water is not free for farmers now; Labour’s proposed royalty will simply impose another cost.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
Relationships are key to opening new trading opportunities and dealing with some of the rules that countries impose that impede the free flow of trade.
Dawn Meats chief executive Niall Browne says their joint venture with Alliance Group will create “a dynamic industry competitor”.
Tributes have flowed following the death of former Prime Minister and political and business leader, Jim Bolger. He was 90.
A drop in methane targets announced by the Government this month has pleased farmers but there are concerns that without cross-party support, the targets would change once a Labour-led Government is voted into office.
Farmer shareholders of meat processor Alliance have voted in favour of a proposed $270 million joint venture investment by Irish company, Dawn Meats.
The former chair of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and farmer, Doug Leeder, says rural communities' biggest fear right now is the lack of long-term certainty over environmental regulations.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.
