Opportunity Says Land Tax Won't Force Farm Asset Sales
Opportunity says its land value tax (LVT) is unlikely to force farmers into a position where asset sales or increased debt are required.
Last week's press release from the ginger group, titled 'Farming leaders' spin on RMA Reform demands a grassroots response', didn't have a very conciliatory tone, if you ask Milking It!
However, in this case, they may have a point.
Groundswell's Jamie McFadden says the Government's recent announcements on RMA Reform and Freshwater Farm Plans (FFP) hide an "enormous bureaucratic expansion and farming representative organisations are complicit in providing only one side of the story to farmers and the public", Groundswell would rather see backing for the industry-led efforts already underway with grassroots buy-in.
"The industry groups who would prefer to act as regulatory middlemen are in danger of returning to the bad old days or representing Wellington to farmers, instead of taking farmers' voices to the Government," says McFadden.
