“Farmers are under serious pressure from Labour’s National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management 2020 and action is urgently required to provide them with relief,” says Ruawai dairy farmer and ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron.

“The coalition government was elected with a mandate to end this unnecessary burden. We've made excellent progress, but a significant remnant of Labour's damaging policies still lingers: the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management 2020.

“Farmers have raised concerns with me about the proposed changes to the Otago Regional Council’s freshwater rules – rules which are being drafted in accordance with Labour’s NPSFM 2020.

“ACT continues to argue that the full repeal of NPSFM 2020 is the right approach.

“Short of achieving that, I have written to Environment Minister Penny Simmonds asking her to use section 25A of the RMA to allow the Otago Regional Council to remove any sections relating to freshwater management from their plan while allowing them to progress with other sections. This would provide consistency across councils and offer clarity for the farmers who have sought my help.

“Over the past six years, farmers have not only had to manage the day-to-day challenges of farming but also navigate a sea of red tape and costs imposed by the last Government. This onslaught has threatened one of our most efficient and productive industries.

“This policy introduced stringent rules, centralising control from Wellington, and elevating the vague concept of ‘Te Mana o te Wai’, the mana of the water. This principle has led to even more restrictive regulations being imposed on our farmers by regional councils.

“Today, despite the work of the Government, regional councils continue to integrate these stringent regulations and vagaries into their regional plans. Farmers face uncertainty and fear. This over-regulation not only stifles our agricultural productivity but also risks our entire national economy at a time when we should be empowering our most productive sectors.

“The concept of ‘Te Mana o te Wai’ is not only vague but replaces scientific benchmarks with subjective interpretations. This isn't about environmental standards, which are necessary, it embeds a subjective idea of the mana of the water that leads to co-governance and unequal treatment based on who someone’s ancestors were. The broad and often ambiguous interpretation of this principle by councils and courts adds to the confusion, diverting from a clear, science-based approach.

“ACT is dedicated to real change. We cannot continue with a policy that burdens our farmers unnecessarily. We campaigned on a complete overhaul of this policy to remove subjective concepts and ensure that our freshwater management is scientifically sound and adapted to the needs of local communities.

“We are continuing to advocate for repealing the NPS-FM and allowing district councils more flexibility in how they meet environmental limits.

“It is time for urgent reform. We must protect our farmers from the ongoing effects of what has effectively been a war on our agricultural sector.”

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