Auckland Reform Implications Concern For Farmers
April 6th, 2009
Farmers are voicing concerns the fall out from the proposed reforms of local Govt in the Auckland region could adversely impact on the viability of farming. FedFarmers says urban domination must not impact the viability of farm businesses. President, Don Nicolson, says “where farming fits in the new Auckland’s priorities is of real concern.”
However, farmers are looking at the wider picture in terms of how reforms in the Auckland region may be replicated across the country. He says the Federation wants to see a cohesive and planned approach for local govt reform nationally. “With 86% of NZers living in our towns and cities, there’s real potential for tyranny of the urban majority if wider reform is not consistent.”
Nicolson points out farming is NZ’s future and a unified Auckland council needs to understand the economic reality as do other local authorities. “Rural areas are not urban playgrounds to be ‘protected’, but productive working landscapes vital to New Zealand’s economic future, keeping much of urban New Zealand in a job.”
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