Friday, March 29, 2024

Primary sector leaders draw up Hipkins wish list

Neal Wallace
New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is something of an unknown on-farm, sector leaders say.
Former local government minister Nanaia Mahuta was left too long by her cabinet colleagues to defend the policy alone, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins suggested.
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Food and fibre sector leaders are mostly in the dark about what their industry can expect from newly elected Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

The Food and Fibre Leadership Group is seeking a meeting with the new prime minister, with most members saying they have not had dealings with him.

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard said Hipkins has not been part of the government ministerial group, headed by the prime minister, that regularly meets with food and fibre leaders.

He fears the change in prime minister could mean a loss of contacts within the leader’s office as staff are replaced.

Sector leaders said they hope Hipkins will slow the speed, pace and breadth of legislative change, singling out indigenous biodiversity and the Resource Management Act (RMA) as policies that could be paused.

They also want the new prime minister to ensure the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) legislation to address agricultural greenhouse gases is passed.

They are in agreement that immigration restrictions must be lifted to allow more foreign workers into the country to address the sector’s labour shortage.

One of the few sector leaders who does know Hipkins is Nathan Guy, a former National Party MP and agriculture minister who is now the independent chair of the Meat Industry Association (MIA) and Apiculture NZ.

Guy said Hipkins is personable and accessible, and he is optimistic the new prime minister will be accessible to the sector.

One issue he will advocating for is that a proposed trade delegation to China – which was to have been led by outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – continues as planned given the economic headwinds China’s economy is facing.

“A prime minister can open doors for the primary sector and this is an important period given the volatility in the Chinese economy.

“We need to be seen there, waving the flag and reminding the Chinese that we are honest brokers when it comes to trade.”

Guy said the biggest issue facing the MIA is a shortage of workers that will slice an estimated $600 million in added value from the sector in the coming year.

He said they need halal butchers and qualified knife hands.

Beef + Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison agreed that the labour shortage must be addressed, but he also wants the new prime minister to resolve the carbon farming issue, which he said is distorting the property market.

Pending policies such as that on indigenous biodiversity should be put on hold given the deluge of policies the sector is dealing with, and Morrison said there is an urgent need for the government to deliver on promised farm plans as part of freshwater policies.

DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel is also looking for a guidance about how the new prime minister views HWEN.

He would also like access to more migrant labour and a commitment that new policies will be fair, practical and underpinned by common sense.

Horticulture NZ chair Barry O’Neil would like Hipkins to be more cognisant of the risk to food security, especially fresh vegetables, given rising costs and restrictions on land use.

He said the volume of new legislation needs to slow as groups and individuals cannot keep up, and he would like the RMA reforms to be put on hold.

He also wants immigration rules eased.

“We need a more permissive policy. It is too restrictive and we are the point where people are going to Australia instead of coming here,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil would also like to see legislation to make it easier for growers to change land use within the horticulture industry.

Hoggard said policies such as RMA reform need to slow because they are far reaching and could mean activities that are currently permitted could require consent.

He wants to know if Hipkins is going to continue with Ardern’s promise to take some policy initiatives off the table and, if that is the case, what those policies will be.

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