Labour promises user-friendly RMA

Labour today acknowledged rural unhappiness about the Resource Management Act and promised to make it more user-friendly.

Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said about 60 per cent of the country's exports came from the primary sector and he wanted its success driven "less than good luck, including the weather, and more by educated and skilled people, research and technology, innovation, productivity and entrepreneurial skill".

He released Labour's rural policy, which states: "Labour understands the deep disquiet in rural New Zealand surrounding the fact that large businesses have grown around the Resource Management Act (RMA) administration and determination.

"Labour will help local government adopt best practice in RMA administration and continue to make the RMA processes more user-friendly."

Mr Sutton said Labour aimed at closing the gap between urban and rural people so they all had the same opportunities.

Key areas would be the provision of telecommunications services, health, education and law and order.

He said the core of the policy was the conviction that vibrant rural communities, thriving land-based industries and a healthy rural environment were "profoundly interdependent".

Mr Sutton listed three key issues affecting rural people -- market access internationally, access to services so that communities were maintained and strengthened, and growth and innovation.

Among the main points of the policy:

* attract new investment into wood processing;

* negotiate tariff barrier reductions for processed forestry products;

* help business and agriculture identify new opportunities arising from the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

* support research aimed at achieving reductions in agricultural emissions;

* facilitate the further development of the organic sector in response to market demand;

* publish a new standard for organic products;

* continue to facilitate producer-driven industry reform;

* clarify public rights of access to high country and other land;

* increase resources for the Sustainable Farming Fund.

- NZPA

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