Govt move is going to kill Northland

Honestly — who will create the income for this country? Why is it that grass, native bush, riparian margin planting, and forestry on an existing farming unit is not offsetting the land use activity on it, like beef or dairy? If there are plants and trees on your farm why should you be paying to offset carbon already being addressed on that very same farm/ production.

The farm/property could be 80 per cent bush but that wouldn’t matter at all, with what this Government has come up with. It looks like they want farmers to pay regardless of if they are being good stewards, and the best and most efficient farmers globally. Why, just why?

Are we going to stop trading with India, China, and America until they have the same climate goals? Are we going to charge for air travel carbon costs, and construction materials carbon costs?

This will have huge implications for all of Northland, for both Mā ori and general title land. Northland has the highest indigenous biodiversity on our farms and land blocks and this legislation is giving zero weighting to that at all. On farm bush, grass, and trees should count towards carbon reduction — if it is a plant, it has photosynthesis. It is not rocket science! All the other shops and trades that support the agricultural sector will also be affected and result in huge job loss. It is just going to kill Northland. Felicity Foy

Kaitaia

Maungamuka Gorge

The recent headline regarding State Highway 1 was a shock. Close route one.

That will be the day.

Where else in New Zealand would that scenario be tolerated?

Action and money needs to be poured into opening our main [transport] lifeline. Years of road and petrol taxes we have paid, have been used anywhere else in the country except the real Far North.

It is time once again to stand up people and demand politely that our beautiful, scenic Maungamuka Gorge and highway be repaired and maintained.

Remember when the powers that be tried to reduce our hospital to a clinic? We have a hospital to be proud of because we stood together. It is time to do it again regarding the main road in and out of Kaitaia. All logging trucks, milk and petrol tankers can go on State Highway 10.

By the way, how did that woman get up to Maungamuka in her car and more importantly how did the fire engine and ambulance get up there to attend to her if the highway is so terrible?

Rose North

Kaitaia

Roadside rubbish

Drove to Whangā rei today and came across the normal roadworks drama, lots of cones and flashing orange lights, just before Old Bay Rd. I was expecting holes in the road and lots of machinery but it was just rubbish pick up day. Observing the posted limit of 30 or 50km/h, gave me time to check out how much rubbish they had collected.

Every 20 or so yards they had filled up a black rubbish bag.

Disgraceful Northland, absolutely disgraceful.