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RURAL
INTRODUCTION
For far too long the vital contribution of New Zealand's rural sector has been under valued by successive governments. New Zealand First believes this is a travesty which must be redressed through a policy prescription that values our rural communities and restores confidence and vigour to the farming and land-based sectors.
The rural sector accounts for more than 8% of our GDP (or more than $12 billion annually) and while much may be made of the knowledge economy our country cannot raise its living standards without rapidly growing agricultural exports. The rural heartland remains vitally important and land-based industries are still the backbone of our economy.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
- ensure that monetary policy takes cognisance of the impact of high interest and exchange rates on the rural sector and will ensure the policy target agreement between the new government and the Reserve Bank will include export and employment growth objectives;
- establish working relationships with rural advocacy groups to ensure that rural and provincial views and issues are heard;
- promote policies that recognise that because of varying international commodity prices, it is essential that the domestic environment does not unduly add to production costs or impede efficiency of our primary producers;
- give priority to the needs of New Zealand industries and communities in setting any programme on tariffs. Future tariff removal will be consistent with the policies and progress of our trading partners. We aim to win the export and employment stakes, not some artificial tariff removal race;
- build on the 1997 New Zealand First initiative to reduce the sale of land to overseas interests. New Zealand cannot maintain our land as a heritage for future generations if foreign ownership continues to occur. Landcorp land should not be sold to overseas owners, but be used to settle young New Zealand farmers;
- focus taxation policies on incentives for key developmental initiatives leading to rapid export growth with a 20% tax rate on 'new export' net income;
- acknowledge that investment in scientific research is crucial if the New Zealand primary and export sectors are to maintain their international competitiveness into the future. Accordingly New Zealand First will ensure that agriculture and horticulture receive the emphasis and priority in science funding and strategy that they deserve;
- provide base funding to develop and promote organic farming options. While New Zealand First recognises international concerns regarding pesticides and artificial fertilizers, and the natural advantage of New Zealand's environment, developments must be supported by research and marketing;
- ensure that appropriate topo-culture programmes are supported to provide a database and advisory service on alternative land use proposals and diversification;
- extend the farm cadet scheme;
- ensure that Heartland New Zealanders are not unnecessarily handicapped by their location and that reductions in access to, and the quality of health services, schooling, and transport are arrested and reversed;
- ensure social equity for rural New Zealand (social impact analysis to accompany cost/benefit analysis in government decision-making processes);
- increase use of technology to improve rural access to health services and introduce a range of innovative measures (such as student debt write-offs) to ensure the adequate recruitment and retention of health professions in rural areas;
- amend the funding mechanism for rural based polytechnics to take into account their unique circumstances;
- ensure that the property rights of all rural land owners are respected with regard to land access issues;
- develop plans and procedures to handle waste water in rural areas;
- ensure that farmers and other rural workers are able to access industry training funds;
- increase funding for technology transfer;
- ensure that the resources, funding, and technology are available to combat any biological threats to our primary industries and where possible to meet these threats at, or outside, our borders;
- commit additional research funding for opossum and other pest eradication programmes;
- develop a Community Wage scheme so that participants may be employed to clear unwanted vegetation, gorses, broom, and blackberry, from farms which are struggling to clear these weeds. Workers will also be used for tree planting where appropriate, and will assist pest control teams;
- improve access to quality early childhood education, extend parent support programmes and the 0800 advice line, redefine 'rural' schools to secure staffing and funding, and continue to modernise 'distance education' provision;
- give planning priority to the provision of enhanced social and infrastructural services, e.g. New Zealand First does not support the privatisation of roads, and will regulate as necessary to ensure cheaper and competitive power, and telecommunications prices; and,
- ensure the implementation of policies that incrementally and progressively bring transparency to road transport taxation and duties so that in the long-term taxes and duties collected for road construction, maintenance, and road safety are expended for those purposes.
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