High Country Issues
Federated Farmers High Country expects government policy and actions to be consistent with the law and all dealings with its leaseholders to be open, honest and dependable.
We expect governments to openly acknowledge the contribution many generations of high country families have made towards making the high country the iconic landscape that it is today. They have made significant investments in weed and pest control and have been willing to provide access and other assistance, so others may also enjoy this special landscape.
We look for government partnership in the protection of the land. In many cases government can be seen as the original exacerbators, either directly or through its agencies. As such government should provide practical support, including financial in appropriate situations, to landholders experiencing excessive weed and pest incursion problems.
To be able to continue making this contribution, high country families must be provided with a working environment allowing their businesses the flexibility to remain viable during changing times. The Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 (CPLA) was introduced to provide some of this flexibility, including the tenure review process.
We support the CPLA principle that owners of perpetually renewable Crown pastoral leases should be allowed to buy the freehold title to all or most of their land, provided there is ongoing legal protection of areas with Significant Inherent Values (SIV's). We also believe that more recognition should be given to the use of protective mechanisms for SIV's as provided for in the CPLA.
On most farms, SIVs are defined as Significant Natural Areas by the local district council,and protected by rules laid down in its District Plan under the Resource Management Act. If the local District Plan has yet to provide this protection, these values could be protected by a temporary legal covenant. On properties where large areas of land have both productive and environmental values, protection could be provided by ‘sustainable management covenants' under freehold title, as provided for under the CPLA. This would also help to promote community custodianship of covenants. SIVs should be evaluated objectively, on the basis of regional significance, rather than what is present on an individual property.
It is also important to respect the preference of those who do not wish to enter into the tenure review process. These people should not be forced into entering tenure review because valuations for pastoral lease rental purposes are based on non-pastoral considerations. The Land Act, supported by the CPLA and subsequent legislation asserts that rental values on Crown pastoral land are to be determined on the land's productive capability. Any other intention is contrary to the intent of the law.
Federated Farmers High Country expects the government to make pragmatic land use decisions rather than decisions stemming from ideology or diehard beliefs. Grazing of Crown land, for example can provide benefits for all parties. The effects of under-grazing can be as disastrous as those of over-grazing. Under-grazing can create exotic weed and fire problems while a judicious grazing regime can have economic benefits while still protecting vegetation, landscape and other values.
Federated Farmers wants
- Government commitment to productivity based rental on Crown pastoral leases
- A political environment that allows Crown pastoral lease holders to choose freely whether to apply for freehold title or continue to operate under leasehold contract
- A flexible and practical application to protecting signifi cant inherent values by alternative means to reverting to full Crown ownership
- More pragmatic decision making in dealing with grazing applications on Crown land.
Spokesperson
Federated Farmers High Country Chairperson, Graham Reed, is the High Country Spokesperson, you can contact him at grampians@scorch.co.nz . Or you can contact the Federation's vice-President William Rolleston at wrolleston@fedfarm.org.nz.
