Labour hui zones in on rural policy

Agribusiness and agro-ecology consultant Alison Dewes speaks at the Labour Party symposium. Photo / Stephen Parker

Experts from around New Zealand have attended a Labour Party symposium in Rotorua to discuss emerging issues in rural policy.

Presentations at the weekend's meeting included farming and changing land use, the management of water quality and the impact on the environment, investment in the rural sector and infrastructure, delivering rural health services and overseas ownership and investment to enable better understanding and find solutions.

Napier MP Stuart Nash, the party's spokesman for land information, energy and forestry, said it was all about coming up with good policies for the future.

Lakes District Health Board paediatrician Dr Johan Morreau spoke about issues facing the rural hospital sector and what's needed to make sure provincial hospitals are viable, changing ways services are delivered and attracting doctors to rural areas.

Mr Nash said technology was driving new developments in this area. New practice methods enabling patient diagnosis by video means both patients and medical staff won't have to travel hours for medical treatment, making it a more convenient and cost-effective way to treat people.

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."