Friday, 06 June 2025 15:32

Bridging the gap with rural New Zealand

Written by  Jo Luxton
Labour Party agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton. Labour Party agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton.

OPINION: One thing I keep hearing from rural New Zealanders is the importance of relationships. Strong relationships don’t just happen - they take trust, consistency, and time.

It doesn’t mean that we’ll always agree – but it does mean that we’re willing to have robust and respectful conversations regardless of what side of the coin we are on. What matters is that we’re willing to sit down, have the tough conversations, and keep showing up.

That’s why I’m proud of the work Labour has been doing to keep those conversations going. At the recent Farmers Forum, I joined many of my Labour colleagues, along with representatives from DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb, Rural Women NZ, Horticulture NZ, IrrigationNZ and Federated Farmers. It’s not easy to get everyone in the same room - or out on the same farm - but it shows we’re serious about building trust and understanding.

We covered a lot of ground: pest control, local government, gene technology, environmental standards, and backing our farmers. One key discussion was the proposed shift from traditional resource consents to risk-based, certified farm plans. There’s strong support for cutting red tape, but we can’t lose sight of our long-term goals like swimmable rivers. The right balance means smart regulation.

There’s more to do. We need to keep talking about rural health, land-use change, job creation, better connectivity - including internet and postal services - rural disaster resilience, the cost of living, and how to support rural businesses. These issues go right to the heart of whether farmers can succeed, and whether rural communities can thrive.

We have a strong history of backing rural New Zealand. We signed game-changing free trade deals with China, the United Kingdom and the European Union – boosting exports, and opening up new markets for dairy, meat, and horticulture. We tackled Mycoplasma bovis head-on. We launched a Rural Health Strategy. And we worked with farmers to support innovation and protect our reputation for high-quality, sustainable produce.

The progress is under threat. The current Government has slashed research funding - cutting investment in sustainable land use and emissions research, and is winding down Predator Free NZ.

We’ll be at Fieldays again this year at our Labour Stall, and I’m looking forward to more of those good conversations. A strong future for rural New Zealand is something we all have a stake in, and we can achieve it together.

Jo Luxton is Labour spokesperson for agriculture.

More like this

DairyNZ thanks farm staff

August 6 marks Farm Worker Appreciation Day, a moment to recognise the dedication and hard mahi of dairy farm workers across Aotearoa - and DairyNZ is taking the opportunity to celebrate the skilled teams working on its two research farms.

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.

Featured

DairyNZ thanks farm staff

August 6 marks Farm Worker Appreciation Day, a moment to recognise the dedication and hard mahi of dairy farm workers across Aotearoa - and DairyNZ is taking the opportunity to celebrate the skilled teams working on its two research farms.

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.

Why is butter so expensive in New Zealand? Fonterra explains

Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Trop de Paris!

OPINION: Your old mate's ear has been chewed off recently by farmers voicing their displeasure with the National Party, particularly…

NZ vs Aussie beef

OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter