He said funding in mental health services had dropped in the regions and rural communities were losing out as resources were pulled away, exposing the more vulnerable members of these communities, especially the young and old.
MP Damien O'Connor said there needed to be more widespread discussion and debate around the level of foreign investment across the agri-business sector because the current assessment was "meek and mild".
He said a more rigorous process was needed about intensification of dairying and changing land use and the effects on the environment, in particular the impact on lakes and waterways and finding ways to improve water quality and better ways to co-management these resources.
"Farming is the lifeblood of the national economy and there's a growing awareness of the need to decrease nutrients and find a better way of developing the land and creating job opportunities around land use which doesn't impact on water quality or affect the viability of farming," he said.
"All we can do is take in the long term and, as guardians of the country, leave it in a better state than when we found it."
General manager of Te Arawa River Iwi Trust Katie Paul also emphasised the importance of co-managing waterways and catchments.
"Iwi want to see a greater role and more collaborative approach in decision-making in looking after resources and keeping it for further generations.
"It's not just about the sustainability of the environment, it's about the community attached to the environment - we've got to work together - rural communities rely on employment and the environment is a large component of that."
