Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has finally responded to the thousands of emails Groundswell NZ supporters sent him through our Enough is Enough website.

You won’t be surprised to hear that he runs the same lines we’ve come to expect from this Government, blaming farmers for greenhouse gas emissions and pointing to He Waka Eke Noa as somehow being the complete solution.

‍Emissions Pricing
‍He admits “New Zealand is among the lowest emitting dairy producers globally”, but completely ignores our main point, that an emissions pricing scheme focused on punishing agricultural production will just shift production to less efficient foreign sectors, meaning increased global emissions.

The Government’s reckless ideological approach to emissions regulation will shrink New Zealand’s agriculture sector, putting our rural communities under strain, while pushing global emissions up.

Groundswell NZ was founded to take on the tide of unworkable regulations facing New Zealand farmers and growers. That’s why we’ll soon be putting forward our alternative proposal for emissions pricing and asking for your support in telling He Waka Eke Noa to listen to farmers and growers.

‍Ute Tax
‍Damien O’Connor also claims to “understand your concern that there is a limited range of low emissions vehicles suitable for some purposes, such as off-road driving and towing large loads”, but his only defence of the Government hitting the pockets of farmers and other Kiwis with the Ute Tax is that they “expect the market to respond and technology to develop quickly.”

‍The Minister can’t be serious. We’re left to conclude the Government expects us to just take our lumps.

‍Click here to read the letter.‍

‍Request to meet with the Prime Minister
‍Back in February, we asked to meet with the Prime Minister and have a common-sense conversation about environmental regulations and our alternative policy framework, which we believe is credible and workable. We are now coming up on a month since our request and have heard nothing back since the automatic reply. We’ll keep you updated on any progress.

‍Water Services Act
‍Regulations under the Water Services Act are out for consultation and Groundswell NZ is looking for examples of how difficult it will be for those on rural water schemes to comply with the new rules. If your water scheme will be impossible or expensive to bring into compliance, let us know at groundswellnz2020@gmail.com.