Tuesday, 19 December 2023 10:55

Better laws for farmers

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Parliament’s primary production select committee chair Mark Cameron is promising “better law making” for the farming sector. Parliament’s primary production select committee chair Mark Cameron is promising “better law making” for the farming sector.

The new chair of Parliament’s primary production select committee, Mark Cameron, is promising “better law making” for the sector.

“There will be quality law-making. We’ll be doing a cost/benefit analysis of every policy and if it doesn’t bring any benefit to farmers, we won’t support it,” he told Rural News.

Cameron says that in his new role he would also be asking challenging questions and holding the executive to account.

The Northland dairy farmer, a second-term ACT MP, is no stranger to the committee. In the previous Parliament he had served as a committee member.

Other members of the new committee are deputy chair Miles Anderson, along with Suze Redmayne and Catherine Wedd from National, Jo Luxton and Cushla Tangaere-Manuel from Labour and Steve Abel from the Greens.

Cameron’s appointment gives ACT its second high profile parliamentary role in the agriculture sector.

First-term ACT MP and former Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard is Minister for Biosecurity, Minister for Food Safety, Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare, Skills) and Associate Minister for the Environment under ACT’s coalition deal with National.

The party says, between Hoggard and Cameron, it is wellplaced to ensure rural New Zealand has a strong voice both inside and outside the executive.

The new Parliament has a record number of farmers, most elected on the National ticket.

Cameron says he’s thrilled to see more rural sector representatives in Parliament and it augurs well for the rural sector as they will have a greater say in the decision-making process.

“In the previous Parliament, we spent more time explaining ideas rather than debating issues,” he says.

“With more farmers involved in the select committee, the rural sector will have a bigger say in the process moving forward. This will ensure more feasible outcomes for farmers.”

Cameron, who has been a dairy farmer for 30 years, says they will work together to help farmers rather than hinder them.

More like this

Standing up for rural people

Primary production select committee chair and ACT MP Mark Cameron recently contributed to the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill - Second Reading in Parliament. Here are excerpts from his speech:

Farmers back ACT MP's bill

ACT MP and Northland dairy farmer Mark Cameron is lodging a new member’s bill that would prevent regional and district councils from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

Featured

Rein 'Deere' spreads Christmas cheer

The Brandt Hastings team, joined by Rudolph the Red-Nose Rein ‘Deere’, spread holiday cheer this week at the Hawke’s Bay Hospital children’s ward.

Lamb crop drop

There's been a dramatic and larger than expected drop in the number of lambs produced in New Zealand.

National

Machinery & Products

GEA launches robotic milkers

Milking technology provider GEA Farm Technologies is introducing its first automatic milking system (AMS) in New Zealand.

More front hoppers

German seeding specialists Horsch have announced a new 1600- litre double-tank option that will join its current Partner FT single…

Origin Ag clocks up 20 years

With roots dating back to 2004, Origin Ag was formed as a co-operative business model that removed the traditional distributor,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Dark ages

OPINION: Before we all let The Green Party have at it with their 'bold' emissions reduction plan, the Hound thought…

Rhymes with?

OPINION: The Feds' latest banking survey shows that bankers are even less popular with farmers than they used to be,…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter