By Tony Orman
Farmers are under-valued in New Zealand, National Party leader Chris Luxon told a packed public meeting at Blenheim’s Clubs of Marlborough in mid-January.
“There has been too much vilifying of farmers that amounts to demonisation,” he said.
“I don’t think this Government cares about farmers and the rural communities. I don’t think they appreciate them, I think they’ve undervalued them. Farmers are not villains. The reality is, 80 per cent of our exports come from farming. This Government is raining rules, regulations and costs down on the farming industry.”
Luxon reiterated the vital role agriculture played, comprising 80 per cent of exports which flowed through to every New Zealander. Pointing to the audience of over 300 strong, he said that agriculture earned $9000 per year for every person.
Agriculture is the backbone of New Zealand’s exports, provides jobs and is a major function for service towns like Blenheim, he said. “Having lived all around the world and I can tell you New Zealand is without a doubt the best country on planet Earth, there is no doubt about it. We have huge challenges ahead of us, but we have huge opportunities.”
While farming and agriculture did produce large amounts of carbon emissions, Luxon said New Zealand farmers were efficient and, compared to other countries, were efficient in keeping emissions at a minimum. New Zealand is a world-leader in environmentally-friendly farming and if herd sizes here were reduced, they would simply be moved to other countries whose practices were worse for the environment.
National is opposed to the Three Waters Reform package of the Labour-led government. In some regions water infrastructure has been neglected and he cited Wellington as a prime example. On the other hand, areas such as Marlborough had managed water infrastructure well. The Three Waters Reform would therefore result in Marlborough subsidising Wellington’s upgrading of water infrastructure.
“Kiwis are making it clear they don’t support Labour’s centralisation and control agenda. The Government’s model of four water entities would strip control from communities and erode local democracy, putting ratepayer accountability at arm’s length.”
New Zealanders won’t accept the brazen theft of water assets they had paid for decades to own.
“Every New Zealander deserves clean, safe water. But Labour’s deeply flawed entity model is not the way to get there,” he said.
“The Government looks set to ram through their plan at any cost – including making the reforms compulsory for councils, if that’s what it takes,’ said Luxon.
Luxon was critical of the failure of the education system to educate youngsters.
Truancy is a major problem and there were poor outcomes in mathematics, reading and science.
Questioned on Treaty of Waitangi issues, Luxon said there was no room for division based on ethnicity. National wanted to be an inclusive New Zealand regardless of ethnic background.
