increase font size
Federated Farmers is launching a roadshow opposing the RMA reforms currently going through Parliament.
Federated Farmers have announced a nine-stop rural roadshow opposing the proposed replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says the issue isn’t that the farmer organisation doesn’t want to see reform of the RMA, but that the reforms need to be done right to address issues of cost and complexity.
“The current legislation just ties farmers up in red tape, slows us down, and heaps on unnecessary costs – but the Government’s proposed reforms will only make that worse. It’s an absolute nightmare for farmers,” he says.
Hooper says Federated Farmers ‘strongly opposes’ the current reforms because they shift land use planning away from councils towards Regional Planning Committees, which he says will be at arm’s length from their local communities.
“We also have real concerns that the reforms will introduce new, vague and undefined concepts that will create huge uncertainty for landowners and likely lead to time and money wasted with legal challenges through the courts,” he says.
He says that instead of rushing to pass the legislation before the 2023 election, the Government needs to take its time.
“This is too important for them to get it wrong.”
“Any farmer worth their salt would tell them that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. The current reforms are fatally flawed, and they need to go back to the drawing board,” Hooper says.
The roadshow will kick off in Ashburton on Tuesday 30th May before continuing on to Alexandra, Gore, Invercargill, Masterton, Palmerston North, Whanganui, New Plymouth and Te Awamutu.
OPINION: Bouquets this week from the old mutt for Fed Farmers and Groundswell for continuing to resist the proposed Gore District plan and its intention to apply costly "cultural values" across the district and a raft of land classifications that are unworkable and counterproductive.
A verbal stoush has broken out between Federated Farmers and a new group that claims to be fighting against cheaper imports that undermine NZ farmers.
Taupiri farmer Chris Woolerton is tipped to take over as Federated Farmers Waikato president from next week.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
Farmers are unhappy with the Government's replacement legislation for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
The Climate Change Commission has recommended maintaining the current New Zealand Emissions Trading System (NZ ETS) settings but warns of a potential unit shortfall as early as 2028.
The Conservative Party warns that the upcoming free trade agreement between New Zealand and India may prioritise increased labour mobility while offering limited reassurance for New Zealand workers.
Southland District Council says it is actively managing the impacts of the current fuel supply challenges to ensure essential services across the district continue to operate safely and reliably.
A large crowd turned out for the last of the field days of the three finalists in this years Ahuwhenua Trophy to determine the top Maori horticulture entity in Aotearoa New Zealand
National's decision to ‘dribble’ information about the NZ/India to Labour contributed to the delay in it deciding to supported the FTA.
A Hawke's Bay farmer has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half-months' home detention and disqualified from being in charge of or owning sheep and cattle for 12 months for serious animal welfare offending.
