Feds disappointed with Local Government’s 8 Point Programme

Federated Farmers congratulates Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) for producing a paper that seeks to provide a document for the future but is disappointed that it misses the mark.

Local Government New Zealand released its 8 point programme for a "future-focused resource management system" at their annual conference earlier today.

"We agree that our resource management system needs to be able to address challenges into the future," says Chris Allen, Federated Farmers spokesperson on resource management.

Mr Allen was the Federated Farmers representative on the reference group, which was established to present views on the position papers released during the development of the programme.

"LGNZ is correct, there is a need for reform to address issues such as the lack of integration across key planning statutes, the time it takes to agree plans, and the cost of gaining permissions to use land and develop resources and infrastructure.

"However, the programme picks at some old sores, and perpetuates some old myths.

"Contrary to LGNZ’s claims, we’ve turned the corner on environmental trends; in the vast majority of situations water quality is stable or improving."

Of most concern to Federated Farmers is LGNZ’s proposal for resource charging.

"This is illogical and runs counter to its proposal for local authorities to be able to establish special economic zones, to allow for tailored local solutions to regulation, such as streamlining approvals.

"For most parts of the country the way forward will be the development of water resources, with the Ruataniwha Dam being a current example.

"Charging a resource rental for the use of the water from dams and rivers will only serve to deter the very same economic development that LGNZ is seeking the power to encourage.

"It appears to us the programme opens the door for just another way for local authorities to extract money from ratepayers," Mr Allen says.

"Natural ecosystems are not undervalued by farmers. The rapidly growing number of natural areas that are being covenanted to the QEII National Trust provides an excellent example of the work that many farmers are doing to protect natural ecosystems on their land, at a very low cost to taxpayers and ratepayers.

"We agree that decisions should be made as close a possible to the people they affect. But local authorities need to remember that they are ‘creatures of statute’.

"Too often we are seeing local authorities going beyond their boundaries trying to encroach on what is clearly central government’s role. Unfortunately this document provides another example of this tendency.

"LGNZ’s call for a stronger connection between central and local government smacks of unnecessary bureaucracy," says Mr Allen.

"It’s not all bad … there are some visionary proposals in here, such as spatial planning, that is worth further exploration.

"But overall, Federated Farmers calls for central and local government to be cautious in their response to the programme."

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