Feds launch nine-stop RMA rural roadshow

Federated Farmers has announced a nine-stop rural roadshow opposing the Government’s proposed replacement of the Resource Management Act.

“We all want to see reform of the RMA, but it needs to be done right to address the issues of cost and complexity that farmers face every time they want to do something productive with their land,” says Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper.

“The current legislation just ties farmers up in red tape, slows us down, and heaps on unnecessary costs - but the Government’s proposed reforms will only make that worse. It’s an absolute nightmare for farmers.

“Federated Farmers strongly oppose the current reforms because they will shift land use planning away from democratically elected councils towards ‘Regional Planning Committees’, which will be at arm’s length from their local community,” Hooper said.

“We also have real concerns that the reforms will introduce new, vague and undefined concepts that will create huge uncertainty for landowners and likely lead to time and money wasted with legal challenges through the courts.”

The Government shouldn’t be looking to rush this critical piece of legislation through before the election. “They need to slow down and take their time. This is too important for them to get it wrong.

“Any farmer worth their salt would tell them that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. The current reforms are fatally flawed, and they need to go back to the drawing board.

The roadshow kicked off in Ashburton on Tuesday May 30 before continuing on to Alexandra, Gore, Invercargill, Masterton, Palmerston North, Whanganui, New Plymouth and Te Awamutu.