Thursday, 03 April 2025 08:55

Editorial: New RMA good for farmers

Written by  Staff Reporters

OPINION: Farmers nationwide will be rubbing their hands with glee at the latest news from the Government about the RMA reforms.

It seems that at last the Government has listened to the rural voice and acted accordingly. Talk of a focus on property rights will be dear to many farmers' hearts.

Over the years there has been a lack of consistency around the multiplicity of rules that affect farmers and rural communities.

Certain rules will apply in one region and the next-door regional council will have a different set of conditions. At the same time central governments failed to put their foot down and demand that common sense prevail. This loose approach ahs allowed councils to act in ways that impede rather than enable good farming practices.

The overall poor performance by regional councils has now come at a cost to them.

Under the new RMA, their role has been usurped by central government who will now set national standards which councils must adhere to. That will cut out the crazy stuff that has gone on for years. Also gone are the controversial regional policy statements which again were a source of angst for farmers and a cost to ratepayers.

The new RMA reforms are a victory for rural New Zealand over the rule-ridden Wellington bureaucracy and some of their mates in local government. We know that farmers had direct input and their input was sensible and pragmatic. The new RMA is not about giving farmers a free hand to act recklessly because there will still be laws and punitive measures to stop those who think they are above the law.

If regional councils cry foul about these latest moves, then they just need to look in the nearest mirror because they have brought these changes upon themselves.

The same applies to Wellington bureucrats who will now have to do a major u-turn to deliver this Government's RMA.

More like this

Dreams aren't plans

OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery finally roars to life.

If voters see some growth and wages rising faster than prices, the government could say they've "fixed" things as they ride into the next election.

Back here on Earth though, the economy they inherited is a basket case, and the long-term headwinds are fierce.

Political commentator Liam Hehir says, "dreams are not plans" and if the turnaround doesn't come in time, National may have no choice but to go negative.

"Everybody wants to fight on the economy if they can. But when neither side has a compelling story, the contest shifts to other issues. That's not new. In fact, it's the stuff of politics everywhere, always."


 Read More:


Editorial: Getting RMA settings right

OPINION: The Government has been seeking industry feedback on its proposed amendments to a range of Resource Management Act (RMA) national direction instruments.

Farmers back Government pause on RMA plan changes

There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's move to put the brakes on local authorities to do any more work on planning changes ahead of major changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Featured

Dr Mike Joy says sorry, escapes censure

Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.

People-first philosophy pays off

The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.

Farmer anger over Joy's social media post

A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.

From Nelson to Dairy Research: Amy Toughey’s Journey

Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.

National

Machinery & Products

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Buttery prize

OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…

Gene Bill rumours

OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter