Genuine Hipkins
OPINION: At the recent NZ Dairy Industry Awards, opposition leader Chris Hipkins made a surprise appearance.
That's how Federated Farmers National President Andrew Hoggard feels about what difference, if any, Chris Hipkins will make to Labour's policy agenda.
Farmers have long been critical of some of the Labour government's proposed changes on environmental matters and the impact these will have on farmers and rural communities.
Hoggard says Feds and other rural leaders have had little to do with the new Prime Minister and his new deputy Carmel Sepuloni. He says neither have been part of the government team meeting with food and fibre leaders because their ministerial portfolios have little to do with agriculture.
"So, we as a sector have very little background with them and them with us and that's going to make it interesting," he told Rural News.
"Even though we disagreed with the former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, we were familiar with her so there wasn't that getting to know you kind of thing."
Hoggard says in terms of what Feds are looking for, a main one will be the new RMA reforms and says the Government needs to go back to the drawing board.
He says the new Built Environment law offers little or no benefit to rural communities and in some respects farmers will be worse off.
Hoggard cites as an example water take consents: under the new law they will be for just 10 years as opposed to the present 30 years, meaning farmers will suffer a degree of uncertainty.
Other changes could potentially see bird scarers banned - a major concern to horticulturists.
Hoggard says, while there may be changes, he doubts whether Hipkins will make major ones in the RMA space. He says there could be changes to the controversial Three Waters legislation but addressing things in a piecemeal way will not be of much use.
"We think it needs a complete re-look on a whole range of issues," he says.
Hoggard believes that Hipkins will be up against it to make changes to the pet projects of some members of the Labour caucus.
"The biggest sign we will get as to the scope of any change will be when Chris Hipkins announces his new cabinet. Because if there are a few people who are no longer there... there might be scope for more changes. But if the same people are still there, then change is not likely."
