NEWS
MACHINERY
AGRIBUSINESS
Talking up the NZ/EU trade deal. PAGE 12
Canny Scot knows how to tow.
Keep up with pace of change PAGE 16
PAGE 27
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS JULY 3, 2018: ISSUE 656
www.ruralnews.co.nz
No answers; no idea! RURAL NEWS REPORTERS
DESPITE THE fledgling Primary Sector Council being the brainchild of Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor, he has no idea about how much the council will cost taxpayers or even how often it will meet. Responding to a Rural News Official Information Act request – put to O’Connor – about the costs and workings of the Primary Sector Council, the minister’s office says it is unable provide any answers as it is “an operational matter”. “This information is not held by the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity Food Safety and Rural Communities, and Minister for Trade and Export Growth; it is better responded to directly by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI),” was O’Connor office’s reply. “I am therefore transferring your request to MPI for response.” O’Connor’s office has now passed on Rural News’ OIA request to MPI to answer; so far it has made no response. Ironically, when O’Connor announced on April 26 who would sit on the Primary Sector Council, he admitted he “did not have all the answers”. However, this was in relation to issues confronting the primary industry sector and not the actual workings and costings of the council. However, it appears that O’Connor’s lack of knowledge turns out to be the case regarding his understanding of the Primary Sector Council’s annual cost to taxpayers, how much its chair and members are being paid, or even how often it will meet.
The 15-member council is chaired by former Zespri chief executive Lain Jager and it has been criticised for having a lack of real farmer membership. It also drew concern from the scientific community, with Jill Stanley, the president of NZ Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science, calling the lack of scientists on the council “surprising and disappointing”. O’Connor’s and his office’s obfuscation and lack of transparency over legitimate questions about the Primary Sector Council will not gain it
the respect and buy-in of the primary sector it is supposed to represent. The lack of answers about the Primary Sector Council are even more surprising considering O’Connor had flagged its formation in Labour’s election manifesto back in July 2017. The manifesto said a Labour government would, “appoint a primary industry council and a chief agricultural adviser to provide a unified industry voice to government and the wider population and advise ministers and government on all areas of primary production”.
However, it now appears that the policy was never properly costed and has been hurriedly put together. Rural News will publish the responses to the questions it has posed about the Primary Sector Council when – and if – MPI responds to its OIA. • MPI has now responded to Rural News’ OIA request – but this was received after the July 3 issue was printed. Rural News will publish MPI’s responses to the questions it has posed about the Primary Sector Council in our July 19 issue.
BLACK GOLD: At up to $250 retail for a well-shaped 80-90g black perigord truffle, growing the gourmet delicacy has obvious rewards. But it is also a high-risk business, says Amuri Truffiere’s Gavin Hulley. The Truffiere is located on a 2ha hillside plot overlooking the North Canterbury township of Waikari. Run as a joint venture with the landowner and another investor, it was planted in 1997 as one of the first truffle farms in New Zealand. Then, only one truffle had ever been harvested anywhere outside Europe – at an experimental plot near Gisborne, Hulley says. – Full story next issue.
BAN MAY BITE
NEW RULES proposed under the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill will have some rural impacts, but mainly hit residential and lifestyle land, according to Christina Lefever – special council with law firm Duncan Cotterill. “If overseas buyers are comfortable with meeting the new levels of benefits in the tests, hopefully there will not be too much impact,” she told Rural News. “High country stations and lifestyle properties are likely to suffer the biggest price impacts. It will be more difficult to show benefits on those properties. The bill is currently going through the select committee process,” Lefever says. “Lifestyle properties obviously fall into that rural space as well. They will now have to be considered under the amendment bill.” Some rural land with residential features, e.g. a farm homestead, would need a separate certificate of title. “That might need consideration under the new bill. Rural land acquired for residential development will also need to be concerned with reference to the bill and also there are changes this bill brings in to forestry.” Lefever says while the door has not closed on overseas investment in the rural sector – there is still uncertainty. However, she now believes that some market positivity is returning as the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) has started to release decisions under new ministerial directives. – Pam Tipa
UNEXPECTED BREAK. IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN YOU’D THINK.
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