Twenty-two days of consultation time is too short for busy farmers.
Twenty-two days of consultation time is too short for busy farmers.
OPINION
By Thomas Read, president of Federated Farmers Tararua
Regulatory creep is a concerning and ongoing threat – and one that Federated Farmers works hard to combat.
We’re a not-for-profit primary sector policy and advocacy organisation, with a long and proud history of representing the interests of New Zealand farmers. Local advocacy earlier this month centred around Tararua District Council’s proposed animal bylaw changes and the Public Places Bylaw.
Initially, our attention was captured by TDC wanting to put controls on the slaughtering of animals in rural areas. Thankfully the council recognised the impracticalities of this and, after submissions closed, said they won’t be applying the bylaw to rural areas. Good outcome, but it wasted a lot of time.
Feds once again raised with TDC that 22 working days was too short a consultation period. We argue that 30 working days is a more respectful period that encourages engagement. It takes time to become familiar with what’s being proposed, to ground truth it, consult with experts including our Feds policy personnel, and most importantly to talk to members about the impacts.
Proposals put out without any economic analysis show a lack of consideration for those most impacted. For example, TDC doesn’t know how many stock crossings there are or the cost to permit all these both in staff time and to the community.
Microchipping rural cats? No data but at $60 per cat it’s going to be a large sum – and many will question to who or what benefit?
TDC pushed for more rules around what you can and cannot do on private property in an urban setting. Conversations followed with groups such as the Breeding Centre in Woodville, Tararua College farm, Tararua Vets, Dannevirke A & P Society, and retired farmers, to ask/check if they were aware of how they might be impacted. It was disappointing that many weren’t aware.
We all want to be safe – cows included.
Feds do want to acknowledge the much stronger social media presence groups such as the A & P showgrounds have and their ability to activate responses to the council. Feds as an organisation recognises that numbers speak to TDC, it’s telling when figures count our Feds’ submission as but one when we represent 270+ farming businesses in the Tararua district.
We recognise that farmers need to be able to get on and farm without submitting to every local, regional or national proposal as an individual. That’s also a very real strength of Federated Farmers in that we have to gain a consensus view before submitting from our membership.
Many submitters were uncertain as to whether their private property fell within an urban, industrial/commercial or rural zone. Descriptions of what constituted an urban zone were mixed; was it a 50km/h zone, past mapping zones, or new urban strategy proposals?
The RMA provisions added another twist, with existing rights allowing many to continue doing what they are doing – although council staff want the say on whether you’re eligible as part of acquiring a permit to do the activity. For example, having a ram run with your few ewes, if TDC have their way, will require a permit.
Roads are public places. As farmers, we should know that if they leave s**t on the road and it causes an accident they can be prosecuted. Cleaning up our footprint should be seen as not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing to do.
Feds argued that farmers need to take responsibility for their own s**t – another permit is an unwarranted cost. Many industry groups are starting to require farmers to complete a Traffic Management Plan as part of their on-farm documentation this could include Waka Kotahi guidelines which identify crossings where there are less than 1000 vehicles a day as a low-risk activity. Health and safety-wise flashing lights and signage can help – ultimately keeping everyone safe including the animals is the best outcome.
Listening to submitters it was encouraging to hear so many speak passionately on what made a rural community special. This helped reinforce why Feds will continue to advocate on our rural communities’ behalf.
