Land reform bill has potential to destroy high-country farming

MPs were treated to a first-class tour of parts of the Waitaki electorate recently, as Parliament’s environment select committee visited two highcountry stations.

The committee visited Branch Creek Station in the Cardrona Valley and Minaret Station in Wa¯ naka to better understand of the impacts of the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill. The bill has the potential to destroy farming in the high country as we know it.

I know my parliamentary colleagues who attended the field day would have taken away a better understanding of the passion our farmers have for the land. Hearing from those affected by this bill is vitally important as the effects will be devastating.

The National Party strongly opposes this bill and will not sit back while our high-country farmers are the latest victim of an anti-farming crusade. This bill will lead to poor environmental outcomes as areas become overgrown and unmanageable.

Thank you to both the Wallis and the Anderson families for opening their farm gates to us and sharing their stories. Thank you also to the farmers who travelled from all over the south to give submissions on the bill at the select committee in Queenstown.

It is evident this bill is not fit for purpose and needs to be thrown out, as it will destroy a healthy working relationship between lessees and the Crown.

I’m sure many in Wa¯ naka are celebrating this week with the return of our neighbours from across the Tasman. Some businesses in the town had been operating at less than 25 per cent of normal revenue, according to the results of a recent Wa¯ naka Chamber of Commerce survey.

Data from the same survey showed a trans-Tasman bubble would see an increase in revenue for more than 82 per cent of businesses associated with the tourism industry. This includes our hospitality, accommodation and retail sectors.

The bonus: It is in time for the busy ski season.

The resilience you have all shown in this challenging time has been inspiring, and I hope this bubble is the start of many good things to come for you all.