As the September 20 General Election nears, Courier Country asked the 10 main political parties about their stance on the rural sector. Each was given the same four questions and a limit of 500 words. The answers received by the four parties who met the given deadline are printed on the following pages, in the order in which they arrived
Act New Zealand Party response
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RURAL VOTE TO YOUR PARTY?
Act has always valued the farmers' vote and felt that farmers are a natural constituent for Act. Act's principles of self-reliance and reward for hard work fit with the values of most farmers. Act stands for farmers' rights.
National has said that if too many farmers sell their farms to foreigners, it will stop them. This demonstrates that appeasing the envy vote of non-farmers is of greater importance to National than protecting the rights of farmers to sell their land to whoever they choose.
Act is quite alone now as the sole defender of the need for true protection of private property rights.
That is a core principle that we stand on and one we know is important to property owners like farmers.
WHICH ISSUES DO YOU CONSIDER MOST IMPORTANT TO THE RURAL SECTOR?
Of utmost importance is being able to continue to farm for profit. Act describes its policies that enhance farmers' profitability as protecting farmers from councils and others.
Farmers face many threats. Future profits are threatened by the failure of National to remove the ETS, thereby leaving farmers at the mercy of a future Green Party climate change minister. Compliance costs and the problems they create will continue to escalate and become more onerous.
Health and safety legislation, which will also become more onerous next parliamentary term, will place a greater financial risk on farming businesses, some young contract milkers and others in start-up phases face ruin because they didn't do some little thing.
As it is now, WorkSafe has too much power and uses strong-arm tactics on farmers. National wants to give them even more power. Employment law does not allow the flexibility farmers need, with bizarre Employment Court rulings making it harder and harder for farmers to meet their employment needs.
Environmental requirements will increasingly allow others to dictate how farmers use their land and put extra costs on farming businesses.
Act believes that managing change to accommodate evolving environmental and animal welfare expectations has to be farmer-led with costs falling on those seeking the changes, including full compensation for loss of property rights.
DO YOU BELIEVE RURAL RESIDENTS NEED SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO COMPENSATE FOR THEIR ISOLATION?
Act does not believe it is the rightful role of government to give any group special consideration. Crony capitalism does no-one any favours. Act does acknowledge isolation exposes rural residents to property crime including stock theft.
Act has a three strikes for burglary policy which will reduce burglaries by over one-third and also a comprehensive policy on stock theft involving confiscation of vehicles and harsher penalties, especially if a weapon is used.
WOULD YOU OFFER INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF URBAN AREAS WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS STRUGGLING TO MEET DEMAND?
Huge incentives already exist to do this and they are real and market-based. Government incentives are not and distort economies, which usually ends in tears
Labour Party response
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RURAL VOTE TO YOUR PARTY?
Labour has a proud record of delivering to our rural communities. We have always promoted and acknowledged the importance of strong rural communities in a country so dependent on primary production for its export earnings.
Labour will continue to work with all primary and rural industry sectors to provide support and infrastructure where needed. Healthy, vibrant rural communities are at the heart of rural productivity.
In addition to appointing a Minister for Rural Affairs, Labour will also re-introduce the ''rural proofing'' policy that requires policy makers to consider the impact of policy implementation on rural communities.
WHICH ISSUES DO YOU CONSIDER MOST IMPORTANT TO THE RURAL SECTOR?
Good roading infrastructure and networks. Labour understands the importance of quality roading in provincial areas and believes that local roads are being short-changed by the current Government's ''roads of national significance'' focus.
Good provincial networks are essential for regional development. Much of the nation's exports originate in the regions and require infrastructure that allows for safe and efficient movement.
Access to health services.
When in government, Labour introduced policies to alleviate some of the pressures on rural health practitioners and to attract and retain competent health professionals to remain in rural areas. We also established the Heartland Services centres and we will re-establish this model when in government again.
Community safety.
The relative isolation of some rural communities means they have particular policing needs. Labour is committed to having a sufficiently resourced police service so all communities can feel safe and secure in the knowledge their local police resources are capable of responding to their needs.
DO YOU BELIEVE RURAL RESIDENTS NEED SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO COMPENSATE FOR THEIR ISOLATION?
No, but they should not be disadvantaged because they live in rural areas. They should have the same opportunities as people living in urban centres.
The roll-out of ultra fast broadband and the rural broadband initiative is a good example of how this Government has ignored the needs of rural communities.
The roll-out has excluded many rural New Zealanders, particularly those living in remote areas where geographical isolation presents challenges for connectivity. To succeed as a nation, New Zealand needs high-speed broadband across both urban and rural areas so all Kiwis have the same opportunities.
WOULD YOU OFFER INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF URBAN AREAS WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS STRUGGLING TO MEET DEMAND?
Yes. When in government, Labour introduced policies to alleviate some of the pressures on rural health practitioners and to attract and retain competent health professionals to remain in rural areas.
Through the introduction of rural nurse practitioner scholarships and training, along with both pre- and postgraduate training for GPs, a new wave of committed professionals were able to support rural communities.
Labour will extend the voluntary bonding scheme to dentists and dental hygienists who agree to work in rural and provincial centres where there are shortages of dental professionals
New Zealand First responce
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RURAL VOTE TO YOUR PARTY?
New Zealand First has always understood that the provinces are where New Zealand's wealth is generated, and we have always supported not only the farming sector, but also the rural and provincial communities on which our primary industries depend.
Perhaps the question should be ''how important is our party to the rural vote''; we believe we have the policies that recognise the vital contribution the Heartland makes to New Zealand's economy and national character, and we believe that in this election more rural folk than ever will show that they understand that.
WHICH ISSUES DO YOU CONSIDER MOST IMPORTANT TO THE RURAL SECTOR?
Jobs, education, housing, and health are primary concerns shared by all New Zealanders. Some of these have particular issues in rural areas and successive governments have failed to properly recognise and address these issues meaningfully.
Schools can sometimes struggle to attract good teachers, and face other concerns with regards to falling rolls. Availability of healthcare away from major centres cannot be taken for granted as many city dwellers do.
Employment opportunities are fewer than in town and wages are often low. Emergency services including Fire, Ambulance, and Police are a relatively greater concern in the provinces because they are stretched far more thinly.
There is another concern and it is the continuation of community in regions where populations are falling due to failed economic policies driving people away in search of work
DO YOU BELIEVE RURAL RESIDENTS NEED SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO COMPENSATE FOR THEIR ISOLATION?
New Zealand First believes that rural people want fair recognition, rather than any special considerations. The returns from the primary industries largely pay for infrastructure such as roads, dams, power stations and grids, but roading in the provinces is often neglected relative to expenditure on city networks.
Electricity supply is frequently inconsistent and subject to extreme seasonal weather. Cellphone coverage and broadband are often non-existent. Police stations and staff are few and far between, and people's safety and security is not always easily assured.
Rural New Zealand is often required to look to itself in times of natural disaster and community safety. Provincial people are resilient and resourceful, but should not have to make do with second-rate services or lower per-capita expenditures on essential infrastructures than those enjoyed by urban New Zealand. Rural New Zealand subsidises Auckland's roads, for example, but sees no reciprocal assistance in return. This is unfair and unsustainable
WOULD YOU OFFER INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF URBAN AREAS WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS STRUGGLING TO MEET DEMAND?
New Zealand First believes that the best way to stimulate regrowth in the regions is to provide a regulatory and economic framework which encourages and incentivises businesses to keep manufacturing and value-added processing in New Zealand, rather than outsourcing them to cheap-labour third world countries.
We have policies which will ensure opportunities for processors of timber, meat, wool, horticultural crops, dairy, aquaculture, and others to expand their operations in New Zealand's heartland, profitably and competitively, providing jobs, export receipts, and the return of wealth and importantly people to our smaller towns and centres.
Our Royalties for the Regions policy will see 25% of Crown royalties on mining and oil returned to the source region, to help pay for infrastructures which are vital to expansion in the rural economy
National Party response (from Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy)
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RURAL VOTE TO YOUR PARTY?
Extremely important. National has always had strong support from rural areas and under MMP, every vote counts. Many of our MPs (like myself) come from rural areas and have a strong understanding of the issues that matter.
WHICH ISSUES DO YOU CONSIDER MOST IMPORTANT TO THE RURAL SECTOR?
Continuing to rebuild the economy, getting us back into surplus and ensuring there are good jobs for our young people so they don't have to move to Australia (or the cities).
This is why National is supporting irrigation, which has enormous potential in rural areas.
In this year's Budget, we provided new funding of $40 million to support irrigation and water storage, on top of $80 million allocated in last year's Budget.
I've seen for myself how small towns in the South Island have been revitalised by irrigation. Local schools are filling up, shops are busy and regions are growing. That's why it's so disappointing that Labour is opposed to irrigation.
We're investing heavily in research and development for the primary sector through the Primary Growth Partnership (PGP). Over $700 million is being jointly invested with industry into projects to boost the red meat, dairy, horticulture and other sectors.
Roads are very important. National has promised a $212 million package to upgrade 14 provincial roads across the country, including in Marlborough, the West Coast, Central Otago and Canterbury.
We're investing more money into rural health, including bonding which has placed over 2600 doctors, nurses, midwives and veterinarians in hard-to-staff areas.
And we're rolling out the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) with more than 230,000 rural homes and businesses now having access to either fast wireless broadband or improved copper services.
DO YOU BELIEVE RURAL RESIDENTS NEED SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO COMPENSATE FOR THEIR ISOLATION?
Yes, because rural New Zealand is the backbone of our economy. The primary sector (agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries and viticulture) makes up around 73% of our exports.
This is why we're investing in better rural broadband and roads, as outlined above. It's why we've brought in bonding to keep more health professionals in the regions, and we now set aside positions at medical schools especially for rural students.
We're also investing $9.4 million to improve rural drinking water supplies, and are investing heavily in cleaning up our waterways.
Importantly, we won't be bringing agriculture into the ETS. We also won't be supporting a capital gains tax, higher income taxes or a tax on irrigation - all of which opposition parties are promising - which would slow down the primary sector and New Zealand's economy.
WOULD YOU OFFER INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF URBAN AREAS WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS STRUGGLING TO MEET DEMAND?
The best way to encourage people to move to the regions is by supporting regional economies with good policies like irrigation, PGP, better roads, broadband and health services.
A major priority for National is to promote the primary sector, attracting our best and brightest young people into what is a hugely important part of our economy.