This letter was posted on Facebook by `The Muster on Hokonui Radio’ and deserves everyones attention and support.

This letter was sent in by a listener it was sent to PM Ardern, Ministers O’Conner, Parker, Faafoi, Woods,Do you think it will be listened to?19 JULY 2021. RE: HOWL OF A PROTEST The GROUNDSWELL protest of 16 July throughout NZ was emphatic. That rules and regulations now piled higher and deeper are not the way to communicate or encourage farmers to reform.

First the Labour Government needs to reflect that they have not listened and have insulted the rural people by ignoring representations by rural industry-good organisations (Beef and Lamb, Dairy NZ) and submissions of private submitters who are heavily invested in their properties. No respect is shown for the significant investment in farms in NZ and the level of debt each one is encumbered with. Farmers first duty is to family and second most probably to their bank or financiers. In fact mortgage documents specify that mortgagors’ have responsibility to the environment, employing good husbandry and science, and generally the need to acknowledge good practice. That would be a good starting point. While it might be convenient for you to limit the focus of the Howl of a Protest, march and convoy, to carbon emissions and freshwater issues, there is attached now a whole raft of issues that for various reasons have motivated people into their tractors and utes. Farmers are free spirits and resist any attempt to be straight-jacketed without good reason. They hold freehold title to their property and will fight any legislation or regulation that restricts their peaceful enjoyment of their landholding or doing business.

  1. FRESHWATER The overriding objective is the state of rivers and streams and the way to improve waterways to set standards. In our own catchment we engaged a masters student from Otago University to complete her thesis. Overall, she proved that the entire reach of the Waikaka Stream was compliant. She identified where the nutrients and pathogens were the most concentrated and suggested increased riparian planting and changing farm management in specific areas to improve the results for nutrients, E.coli and sediment. An excellent example near us is the Pomahaka Watercare Group, led by Lloyd McCall. They are well organised and benefitting from financial support but importantly have community buy-in to collectively enhance the river and environment about them. Rangitikei River led by Mike Cranston similarly have organised and worked with the community to improve their river, and with all landowners involved, there is a compounding wellbeing factor.

2. The proposed rules on definitive sowing dates, precise slope rules and pugging are matters for farmers to sort themselves, so long as discharge to rivers and streams is avoided. With encouragement to landowners and support to all of the catchment groups, the intended improvement would have been achieved at a fraction of the cost. The freshwater legislation, regulations and rules could have been introduced subsequently, as a last resort, and used for the serial offenders or laggards that don’t understand how necessary the changes are. Currently, we have huge regional council rate increases and increased council staff to rule and regulate, when encouragement and guidance, catchment by catchment, could have achieved targets and outcomes without the friction. This was your choice.

3. CARBON EMISSIONS. Since the science around methane emissions is still not settled and the insistence of Government to disallow small woodlots and shelter from qualifying for off-setting gas emissions are two reasons that farmers remain confused. A tree is a tree after all. A freestanding tree is able to sequester the same amount of carbon dioxide as one in a plantation. Methane is part of the cycle via animals and pasture. It is a short lived gas, yet has become an excuse for a money-grab by your Government, and to off-set higher emissions in other sectors eg: transport, including aviation. Two things no one seems to want to answer is that methane emissions in NZ, relative to world emissions, are insignificant and if NZ reduces methane emissions, food from other world economies will necessarily replace the NZ production at greater cost and greater levels of emissions. Have we no moral compass? Lastly, livestock emissions increase plant growth that increases production to feed the world. I’d think transport, aviation and industry emissions, including burning imported coal at Huntly, are of greater concern. UTE TAXES. This confounding tax, before viable alternatives is available on the market, is extraordinary. It is like politicians only see utes through the lens of the Kandallah or Remuera super-moms. It speaks volumes of how removed and out of touch with rural and working communities your Labour Government is. It has expanded the support for GROUNDSWELL right into urban centres. Well done!

4. SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS. This is a blatant land grab of private freehold property. No respect of landowners, their land or their livelihoods. This is shades of North Korea or USSR in the bad old days. Where this legislation going, if not to confirm that is nothing private is safe with a Labour Government. How arrogant to offer no compensation for private land intended as a SNA. Bugger off!!

5. SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL OPERATORS AND ESSENTIAL FARM AND ORCHARD LABOUR. New Zealanders were founded on immigrants that arrived, worked, succeeded and believed in the education and betterment of their children. The development of provincial (and urban) New Zealand is testimony of the hard work, application of good science and husbandries, adoption of new and improved practices and use of technology. It is this enthusiasm that is in our DNA and has made New Zealand such a great agricultural country. The world over and NZ rely on immigrants for not just the menial work but also specialised staff, operators of expensive machinery and people with skill sets that work in horticulture. Paying seasonal workers is one of the best win:win ways to provide support to our Pacific neighbours and support transient workers that follow the sun. Dairy, agricultural contractors, horticulture, construction and hospitality rely on different types of immigrants. Agricultural workers and operators generally have accommodation available in areas away from housing shortages. Don’t you understand this stuff? What agenda is Government on frustrating all potential employers by limiting immigrant numbers into the country? It is proven the sofa-loafers on benefits are not willing to relocate or capable or have the stamina for hard work or ensure the job is done well or finished. Immigration NZ is tone-deaf to the screams for assistance from employers throughout NZ yet offer MIQ free to sport and entertainment people. Where is the kindness in that? Enough is enough! SUMMARY. If an election was held tomorrow

GROUNDSWELL would win 30 seats. I have no expectation that your Labour Government will respond to any one of the matters raised, or reply to this email. You might have worked it out by now what works best, the carrot or the stick. If you pursue this agenda of winding down the economy, farmers will resist and by sheer determination rural NZ will prevail and prosper in spite of you lot. If you won’t listen, nor will we. There is a better way. Listen up, reset, treat us with respect, remove the unworkable rules, and explain better the necessary ones. Rethink the ute tax and open up immigration. Go back to the table. Beef and Lamb, Dairy NZ and the other industry advocates are there to talk. Yours faithfully

I did not ask permission to run this so I hope Koknui and the letter writer/writers approve. I say to you – well done with a great letter.