Simon Upton urges cross-party consensus on New Zealand environmental goals
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling for cross-party consensus on the country's overarching environmental goals.
The Resource Management Act will be repealed and water regulations potentially revoked under a National government.
Leader of the National Party Judith Collins and Agriculture spokesperson David Bennett announced National’s Agriculture policy in Gisborne today.
“New Zealand’s reputation as a producer of quality and sustainable agricultural products is well known around the world,” said Collins.
“When we form the next Government, our pledge is to ensure that our agricultural policy focuses on allowing farmers the opportunity to farm their way to better outcomes, rather than being regulated into oblivion.”
National has committed to:
• Repeal the Resource Management Act (RMA) and replace it with an Environmental Standards Act and Planning and Development Act
• Allow skilled workers and Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers to enter New Zealand
• Create a fast-tracked Primary Sector Visa
• Repeal or review the nine new water regulations Labour introduced in August
• Promote water storage options
• Review the treatment of forestry in the Emissions Trading Scheme
• Remove the exemption that streamlines the process for forestry applications in the Overseas Investment Office test
• Remove the review process around introducing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme in 2022
• Pass seven changes to the Zero Carbon Bill, including a review of the methane target
• Pursue an active free trade agenda to open up new markets for New Zealand’s food and fibre products
• Enforce stronger penalties for biosecurity offences
• Build the infrastructure to ensure better connectivity for rural communities
“National’s approach to agriculture is simple - allow the sector to thrive by investing in and encouraging innovation, not constraining the sector with excessive regulations,” said Bennett.
“There will be a demand for more sustainability in our farming practices. Farmers are up for this challenge and this desire for improvement is clear in farmers’ efforts over recent years.
“We’ll address the issues around workforce shortages and ensure that primary sector businesses have every opportunity continue growing and supporting New Zealand’s economy.”
Meat co-operative, Alliance has met with a group of farmer shareholders, who oppose the sale of a controlling stake in the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.
Dawn Meats is set to increase its proposed investment in Alliance Group by up to $25 million following stronger than forecast year-end results by Alliance.
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