Please see below or click the link for our latest LCA Newsletter from Chairman Brian Mason.
LCA continues its involvement with a range of issues and themes affecting the rural and
contracting communities. Roading, regulations and compliance, water allocation, Council
charges, drainage, rural subdivision, fair representation and farmer welfare, to name a few.
To achieve fairer rural Rodney representation at Local Board level, LCA has been involved
with the Northern Action Group and Rodney Community Voices in promoting changes to
electorate boundaries. Recent advice from AC confirms that the Local Government Commission has now set down the subdivision boundaries for the elections later this year.
We are fortunate to have a Rural Support Trust representative on our LCA committee. LCA
fully supports the work of the Trust. The Trust has hosted a number of events with the welfare of farmers and rural folk at heart. The website link is http://www.rural-
support.org.nz/Regions/North-Island/Northland
Follow up continues after the Dairy Farm Inspections public meeting, we jointly hosted with Auckland Council, but unfortunately to little affect. We are still fielding calls from dissatisfied farmers about the inspection process. LCA had suggested that some on-farm experience would benefit Council’s compliance team members. There was no uptake of that invite by Council, which is disappointing.
Roading is an ongoing concern. Colin Smith, representing Wellsford on the Rodney Local
Board is a tireless voice for better roads and improved allocation of resources. Whilst there has been a better allocation of resources to the North Rodney roading network there is still some improvements to be made. Roading that is fit for purpose and properly maintained is vital for all communities.
We have tried to interest our Northland Members of Parliament in water allocation issues, which are concerning a number of our farmer members. Unfortunately there has been no response and it appears big money and big tourist/recreation schemes get the nod ahead of the farming sector. This dry summer did see water bores, critical to production and animal welfare, dropping to concerning levels. The allocation and management of our water resource by Auckland Council is an ongoing issue. A Council program to monitor and better understand water reserves in the Tomarata catchment seems to have stalled. This is a real insult to all the farmers in that catchment who were in support of the initiative.
Brian Mason is our representative on the Auckland Council Rural Advisory Panel. The Panel
consists of some 24 members who represent sectors of Auckland’s rural community. Brian is
one of the few actual farmers on the panel and with skin in the game brings a realistic
perspective to issues that arise. It seems the RAP is being used as a vehicle to ratify whatever the Council bureaucrats are up to, rather than being a truly advisory body with some influence.
The protection of overland flowpaths and on-site wastewater systems are also issues
attracting LCA’s attention. Some common sense is required rather than costly blanket Council controls. Thanks to Councillor Greg Sayers who facilitated a meeting, LCA representatives have met with Council staff to discuss our concerns and there now is ongoing contact with Council’s Healthy Waters team. A plethora of rules have been developed over the years and included in the Unitary Plan which control landowners rights to manage and develop their land.
Minor earthworks, the clearing of blocked waterways, the construction of ponds and dams are all controlled/restricted. As a landowner, you might just be able to blow your nose without a resource consent—- if you’re lucky!!!! The present Governments intention to reduce regulation is certainly welcome.
LCA is a voluntary organisation and depends solely on subscriptions for its income. All
members are reminded that subs will soon be due and an invoice will be sent. We hope you will see the merit in joining LCA.
LCA meets monthly on the last Thursday of the month in Wellsford RSA at 7pm. You are
welcome to attend and if you have an issue or concern that LCA can help with please bring it to our attention. We hope to hold a meeting soon with Auckland Council giving guidance on how to navigate the Auckland Unitary Plan rules and framework.
Regards to you all.
Brian Mason
Chairman LCA
The LCA 