Category: MIL-OSI

Source: ACT Party

ACT MP Hon Andrew Hoggard
Federated Farmers Rural Advocacy Hub Speaking Engagement 
Wednesday 11 June, 11:30 am 

Good morning, everyone. 

It’s great to be back, and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. 

I’d like to start by acknowledging the significant effort that’s gone into organising this year’s Fieldays Rural Advocacy Hub. These events don’t happen without a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and it shows. 

I also want to acknowledge Federated Farmers and the many other farmer-led organisations who work tirelessly to support and advocate for the sector. 

As a dairy farmer and a former President of Federated Farmers, I know firsthand how important your work is. Whether it’s in the regions or on the national stage, you give voice to rural communities, bring practical solutions to the table, and stand up for the interests of farmers and growers across New Zealand. 

This Government is firmly committed to backing you—by reducing costs, cutting unnecessary red tape, and strengthening frontline support. 

When I spoke at Fieldays last year, interest rates were a massive challenge for rural New Zealand. Make no mistake, that was Wellington’s fault. It was the hangover from a Labour-led pandemic response that pumped out easy money without a productivity boost to match.

Now we’ve reined in waste, got inflation back to the target range, and farmers are finally seeing real interest rates relief. We need to do more to cut the waste in Wellington, because the less resource the Government sucks up, the more is left over for people like you out in the real world trying to grow things. 

Over the past year, we’ve made real progress on red tape. We’ve started delivering on our promise to fix the resource management system and reduce the regulatory burden. 

Amending intensive winter grazing and stock exclusion rules. Pausing the rollout of freshwater farm plans while we make them more practical and affordable, and halting the identification of new Significant Natural Areas. 

Right now, we’re consulting on a package of proposals aimed at streamlining or removing regulations that are holding the primary sector back. 

Most critically, we are consulting on changes to the NPS Freshwater 2020. There are several options being put forward. Now, if I remove my Minister hat and put on my ACT Party hat, we need to be bold. By that I mean Te Mana o te Wai needs to go. Worrying about the Paris Accord, whilst still a concern, is a sideshow compared to the hard calls we need to make with regards to RMA reform and the NPS Freshwater.

Make no mistake, as a Party we have no interest in taxing the most carbon efficient farmers in the world, having methane targets far in excess of what is needed to play our part, sending billions offshore to be carbon neutral, or turning the lights off in homes or businesses through misguided energy policies.

But if you ask me what area of policy scares me the most for the future of New Zealand farming, it is resource management and freshwater policy.

Te Mana o te Wai has caused confusion amongst councils, and I see that if left in place its current trajectory will likely lead towards co-governance for regional councils, not just in policy but consenting as well, and policies that are based on vague spiritual concepts, not clear and simple water science balanced with societal needs.

This debate will undoubtedly be noisy, but farming groups need to advocate strongly for clear unambiguous language in the NPS, individual farmers need to submit on what they are seeing and the stress this concept has caused many of them with regards to consenting.

At the Treaty Principles Bill second reading debate many coalition party MPs stated that the Bill was too general, too broad-brushed, and that we should just focus on ensuring that we don’t have unclear language and vague concepts in future bills and policies. Well I would suggest that this NPS Freshwater is a good test for those statements. You will see plenty of MPs here for the next few days playing farmer dress up, make sure you let them know you expect them to keep their word.

Now, while I’m being a staunch ACT MP I also want to give a shout out to the Regulatory Standards Bill, for many of you undoubtedly are thinking, why should I care about something that sounds that boring.

Real simple. If this Bill had been in place during my Feds presidency it would have made the job so much easier, as it would have highlighted some of the more impractical and stupid regulations that were dreamed up. Even if it didn’t make the politicians think twice, at least the system would have shone a spotlight on the issues. We are so lucky that Bernadette Hunt got on the Hosking show and was able to show up some of the more daft parts of the winter grazing regs and they got changed within days, but they shouldn’t have got that far. That’s what the Regulatory Standards Bill will hopefully show up.

But also, government doesn’t just take away your hard-earned dollars through its fiscal policies. It also can take away your property rights through its regulatory policies, so this Bill will ensure that if those property rights are taken away then compensation should be forthcoming. This whole concept has complete distaste from the Left, and some lukewarm reception from everyone else but ACT. So, if more protection for property rights is something you want to see, make sure you put your case forward for it.

Okay, back to being a Minister, if I can just highlight some of the other Government work that is going on that is relevant for farming.

In the health and safety space, we’ve got Brooke van Velden leading reforms to get rid of over compliance, reduce paperwork, and make WorkSafe helpful, not harmful. I’m especially pleased about her work to protect landowners from liability when they allow recreational activities like horse trekking, hunting, or hiking on their land. It’s about a shift from fear to freedom, opening up land for maximum enjoyment and enhancing the Kiwi way of life. 

We’re also keen to empower farmers on the conservation front. I believe farmers are natural environmentalists. We live off the land, so we have every incentive to care for it. Many of us work to maintain stands of native bush or wetland on our land. For too long, the approach has been to punish this work, with councils looking at your land and saying, “that looks pretty, in fact that natural area looks ‘significant’ and you’re going to lose your property rights over that.” It’s all stick and no carrot. I think farmers deserve real credit for their contributions to biodiversity, and I’ll have more to say about that at the Beef + Lamb stall tomorrow.

In this year’s Budget, we announced a 20% funding increase to tackle the spread of wilding pines—a major win for our landscapes and productive land. 

Another important change in this year’s Budget is Investment Boost—a major new tax incentive to encourage business investment, support economic growth, and lift wages. 

If you’re a farmer, tradie, manufacturer, or run any business, this matters to you. 

When you invest in new equipment, machinery, tools, vehicles, or technology—you’ll now be able to deduct 20% of that cost immediately from your taxable income. 

It’s a straightforward way to help reduce your tax bill and support decisions that lift productivity and grow your business. 

To put it simply, we’re backing your success. 

We want to see a thriving primary sector that’s not weighed down by complexity, but supported to innovate, grow, and lead. 

I want to thank Federated Farmers, and many of you here, for the constructive role you’ve played in helping shape these changes. Your feedback is vital to making sure the final rules are workable, sensible, and fit for purpose. 

Thank you again for the chance to be here, and for everything you do to keep this sector moving forward.

All the best for a successful and enjoyable Fieldays. 

Thank you.  

Source: ACT Party

Responding to legal action from Lawyers for Climate Action NZ, ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron says:

“This is a courtroom stunt by climate activists dressed as lawyers. They would sacrifice our rural lifeblood at the altar of climate ideology.

“The clear goal of this challenge is to place more restrictions on Kiwi farmers. It’s the same tired approach we saw from Labour and the Greens.

“Shutting farms down or burying them in regulation won’t save the climate. It will just shift food production offshore, cost us jobs, and make food more expensive.

“New Zealand farmers are the most emissions-efficient food producers on the planet. We need to back them, which is what ACT is doing in government.

“This government is right to back off from costly, unworkable policies that punish rural New Zealand. The idea that New Zealand – responsible for just 0.17% of global emissions – should wreck its economy to impress international activists is absurd.

“ACT is committed to climate policies that are practical, not performative. We will back Kiwi innovation, not regulation for its own sake. We’ll support farmers, not sue them. We know that when farmers do well, all New Zealanders are better off.”

Source: ACT Party

ACT MP Laura McClure is welcoming changes made at select committee to strengthen the proposed anti-stalking law, but says more must be done to protect New Zealanders from modern forms of digital abuse, particularly sexually explicit deepfakes.

“I’m pleased to see the Government respond to public concern about stalking with more robust and practical legislation,” says McClure.

“Patterns of abusive behaviour deserve to be recognised by the law, and these changes will help victims seek justice.

“But we can’t stop here. As technology evolves, so do the tools of harassment and abuse. Sexually explicit AI-generated deepfakes made without consent are a fast-growing threat, especially to young people and women.

“I have a members’ bill in the ballot that would create a specific offence for the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfake content. This should be adopted as a Government Bill.

“Deepfakes are harming real people today, and the law is failing to keep up.

“The same commitment to protecting stalking victims should extend to those targeted by synthetic sexual abuse. We need clear, targeted laws so police can act, courts can prosecute, and victims can get justice.”

Source: ACT Party

Responding to the introduction of legislation to restrict farm-to-forest conversions, ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron says:

“The Government is moving to address legitimate concerns in rural communities. Forestry is swallowing up productive farmland because the current system is rigged against those who feed the world,” says Mr Cameron.

“Red tape and distorted incentives make it more profitable to plant pine trees than to run a farm.

“There is more the Government could do to address the root of the problem. It could start by letting Kiwis offset their emissions overseas. There’s no reason we should be covering our own productive land in carbon farms when planting is cheaper and more efficient in other parts of the world.

“It’s also time for a wider conversation about whether New Zealand’s Paris climate commitments are worth the cost.

“Right now, our only options to meet these targets are blanketing the countryside in trees, or driving up costs on fuel, electricity and everyday goods. Neither of those is acceptable. We need to ask whether the pain is worth it.

“Kiwi farmers are the best in the world at what they do – the freer they are to compete and grow, the better. ACT will keep backing farmers and rural communities.

Source: ACT Party

ACT Immigration spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar is celebrating the delivery of an ACT coalition commitment in the form of the Parent Boost Visa.

“The Parent Boost Visa aligns closely with the policy ACT campaigned on in 2023. I’m proud to see our commitment to a renewable, multi-year parent visa come to life, enabling migrants to spend meaningful time with their parents and grandparents.

“The new visa means skilled migrants can come to New Zealand with confidence they can have their parents around when they welcome a new child, or when they need support during challenges or help with childcare.

“Ultimately, this visa makes New Zealand a more attractive destination for the talent we need to drive economic growth. A skilled workforce means more productivity, stronger communities, and more prosperity for all New Zealanders.

“ACT’s 2023 proposal differed slightly in that it would have included an annual fee to fund healthcare costs through a public health fund. The Parent Boost Visa’s alternative, a requirement for comprehensive private health insurance, serves a similar purpose in protecting New Zealand taxpayers.

“ACT remains open to immigration reforms that attract the world’s brightest while protecting local taxpayers.”

The Parent Boost Visa opens for applications on 29 September 2025.

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: Legislative Changes Create Major Tax Savings Opportunity for Thousands of Kiwis and Expat Brits with UK Pensions

Groundbreaking changes to New Zealand’s tax law, coming into effect on 1 April 2026, will create unprecedented opportunity for thousands of Kiwis and British expats with UK pensions to save on tax and transfer sooner.

The post Legislative Changes Create Major Tax Savings Opportunity for Thousands of Kiwis and Expat Brits with UK Pensions first appeared on PR.co.nz.

Source: New Zealand Government

Farmers, growers, foresters, fishers and primary processors are driving New Zealand’s economic recovery with export revenue on track to surpass $60 billion for the first time, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced today at Fieldays. 
“The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report forecasts export earnings of $59.9 billion for the year ending 30 June 2025, $3 billion higher than projected in December. This momentum is expected to continue, with exports reaching $65.7 billion by 2029,” Mr McClay says.
“These figures reflect the hard work and resilience of the hard working men and women of provincial New Zealand.
“Strong global demand and healthy prices across key markets are positioning our high-quality, safe and sustainable food and fibre exports for record growth.”
Growth highlights include: 

dairy export revenue lifting 16 per cent to reach a record $27 billion
meat and wool export revenue increasing 8 per cent to $12.3 billion
horticulture export revenue growing by an impressive 19 per cent reaching $8.5 billion
forestry export revenue jumping 9 per cent to $6.3 billion
Seafood export revenue lifting 2 per cent to $2.2 billion.

“The numbers speak for themselves, but the Government remains laser-focused on doubling the value of exports in 10 years, driving higher farm and forest gate returns, and backing the long-term capability, resilience, and health of rural New Zealand,” Mr McClay says.
“We’re investing heavily to deliver tools and technology to farmers and growers to tackle agricultural emissions with more than $400 million in continuing funding over the next four years and making targeted reforms to support farmer and grower success.
“Through the Budget, we launched the new $246 million Primary Sector Growth Fund (PSGF) to boost on-farm productivity and resilience.
“Our trade work continues at pace to open doors for Kiwi exporters, and our new Investment Boost tax incentive will encourage businesses to invest, be more competitive, grow the economy, and lift wages.
“When rural New Zealand does well, the whole country benefits,” Mr McClay says. 
“That’s why we’re making sure our Primary Sector have the tools and support they need to deliver long-term economic growth and regional prosperity for all New Zealanders.”
The June 2025 SOPI is available at: www.mpi.govt.nz/sopi

Source: New Zealand Government

More than 9,500 additional procedures have now been delivered as part of the Government’s elective boost, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 

“This is what putting patients first looks like. We are focused on increasing delivery of elective treatments – across both public and private hospitals – to reduce wait times for Kiwis needing procedures like hip replacements or cataract surgery,” Mr Brown says.

Through this initiative, Health New Zealand is partnering with private hospitals to expand surgical capacity across the country. The plan aims to deliver over 10,579 additional elective procedures by the end of June – a target now well within reach, with 9,696 procedures completed by the week ending 11 May. Of those, 8,631 were delivered through outsourcing.

Common procedures being delivered include:
 

• Hip and knee replacements
• Cataract surgeries
• Hernia repairs
• Tonsillectomies
• Ear operations

Mr Brown says the programme is targeting those who’ve faced the longest delays, with almost 60 per cent of patients having waited over four months for their surgery.

“Our goal is clear – 95 per cent of patients receiving elective treatment within four months by 2030. This is a key health target, and we’re getting on with the job of delivering it.

“We are investing a record $30 billion annually in health, with a strong focus on boosting frontline services, reducing waiting times, and ensuring better outcomes for patients.

“By unlocking capacity across the entire health system, we’re delivering faster treatment and shorter wait times – and that’s exactly what Kiwis deserve,” Mr Brown says. 

Source: New Zealand Government

New Zealand’s aquaculture sector has experienced double-digit growth in export revenue over the past year, sending a clear signal that more is to come from the enormously promising sector, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.

The forecast export results were released today as part of the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI).

Aquaculture products are projected to bring in $650 million in export revenue for the year to 30 June 2025, up 13 percent on last year.

The increase has been driven by increased production of high-value products such as mussels and salmon.

“This is a sector with potential for massive growth over the next decade, supported by the hard work and innovation of thousands of New Zealanders who bring our sustainable products to the world,” Mr Jones says.

“The Coalition Government is super-charging the industry, with a goal of growing the aquaculture industry to $3 billion in annual revenue by 2035. 

“Growing our aquaculture industry will have huge benefits for the economic prosperity of New Zealand, with the potential to create thousands of jobs in the regions and contribute substantially to achieving a doubling exports over the next 10 years.

“These results show we are making great progress on the path identified in the New Zealand Aquaculture Development Plan I announced earlier this year. I expect to see even more substantial growth in coming years as the plan progresses,” Mr Jones says.

“We are removing unnecessary barriers for industry by extending marine consents, giving marine farmers the certainty they need to invest in their operations, including open-ocean aquaculture products in the Fast-track Approvals Act.

‘Innovation is another important factor in this growth. Government has invested $11.72m in a project to boost open-ocean aquaculture around the country.”

Exports for the seafood sector as a whole is forecast to rise 2 percent to $2.2 billion for the year to 30 June 2025, with a slight decrease in volume exported being offset by the highest per kilogram price for New Zealand seafood on record. 

“Demand for our seafood across a diverse range of international markets has meant that our seafood sector has performed strongly despite trade uncertainties over the year.

The SOPI is published on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.