“It’s palpable,” the Ruawai, Northland, dairy farmer said.
Releasing the party’s primary industries policy, Cameron describes it as “practical, pragmatic solutions,” needed for an industry under pressure.
The wide-ranging policy incorporates elements of climate change, forestry, water, winter grazing, the Resource Management Act, health and safety, regulation, infrastructure, tax, firearms, tax and mental health.
The premise behind the policies is smaller Government and more local and industry control.
“The current Government uses a big stick rather than a regional carrot,” he said.
The party wants climate change policies based on sound science and Cameron says that means separating the treatment of short-lived methane from carbon dioxide and ensuring NZ policies are consistent with those of our major trading partners.
It will repeal the Zero Carbon Act, which it voted against in the previous Parliamentary term, and replace it with a plan that ties our carbon price with those of our top five trading partners.
“Our current policy risks a virtual appearance of appearing to do the right thing but writing off portions of rural NZ,” Cameron said.
Subsidies to the forestry industry and more favourable treatment of foreign forestry investors wanting to buy land introduced by the current Government will end if ACT is in Government.
Cameron says the current policy has allowed forestry companies to buy productive farmland driving out small farmers and undermining rural communities.
The mandatory three-metre setback from waterways as part of freshwater policies will go if the ACT party is part of the next Government, in favour of customising measures for individual properties.
Regional councils and communities will set their own freshwater management limits, as opposed to what Cameron called the current Government’s one-size fits all approach.
If the Government locks up any part of a property from productive use, such as a wetland, ACT policy is for the landowner to receive full compensation.
Newly-introduced winter grazing restrictions, such as resowing dates and pugging limits, will be rolled back and the slope restriction from cropping without requiring resource consent, amended to 20 degrees instead of the current 10 degrees.
“There is the potential to reverse a lot of good work that is being done,” Cameron said of freshwater policies.
The Health and Safety Act will be amended to ensure a graduated set of compliance rules relevant to the location and scale of activity, while the party will work with the industry to simplify and reduce regulation and compliance.
ACT proposes repealing the Arms Legislation Act and the Arms Act and replacing them with new rules that balance firearms safety, firearms control and freedom.
The 30% tax rate will be lowered to 17.5% and GST to 10% for 12 months, while local body rates will be assessed on an estimation of services used.
ACT will create a national, standalone Mental Health and Addiction agency, citing the problem issue of mental health in rural communities, low farmer confidence and the high rates of farmer suicide.
Suffering from depression or stress, or know someone who is? Where to get help:
RURAL SUPPORT TRUST: 0800 RURAL HELP
DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757
LIFELINE: 0800 543 354
NEED TO TALK? Call or text 1737
SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666
YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 or text 234
