ACT unveils rural platform at Fieldays

ACT Leader David Seymour will present ACT’s rural platform for the 2017 election at Fieldays today.

“ACT has traditionally been received well by rural New Zealanders, and this should remain the case in 2017,” says Mr Seymour. “We’re the only party standing up for the concerns of rural people and businesses.”

Tax cuts
ACT will cut personal tax rates for every bracket and ensure no-one pays more than a 25 per cent tax rate. We’ll also make the Government cut company tax from 28 per cent (one of the highest rates in the OECD) to 25 cent, with a commitment to cut it further in the long term. This will allow rural businesses to keep more money on the staff and equipment needed to grow.

Replacing the RMA
We understand the frustrations caused by the Resource Management Act. Even small-scale consents cost too much in fees and take too long in processing and consultation. National has actually made things worse by adding onerous and undemocratic new iwi participation requirements. ACT would replace the entire RMA with land use law that values property rights, democracy, and economic development.

Access to migrant workers
ACT understands that many rural businesses need continued access to skilled migrant workers. ACT is a pro-immigration party, honouring our heritage as a nation of immigrants. We know there are pressures on infrastructure as a result of immigration, but solutions to this must not come at the cost of businesses in regional New Zealand.

Less loopy laws
ACT is against heavy-handed rules and regulations. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 went too far. To be competitive, adaptable and resilient, the primary sector needs government to get out of the way. There are too many legislative barriers in front of businesses at every stage: production, processing, marketing and distribution. ACT will lower the cost of complying with regulations.

Firearm freedom
ACT opposes proposed changes to the firearm registration process as they are expensive and unenforceable. ACT is also against giving Police new powers to enter the property of firearm license holders, and the plan to create blunt new categorisations of firearms.

Flexible water use
ACT opposes the scapegoating of irrigation and dairying to score votes. This tactic, employed by the likes of the Green Party, is simplistic and fails to ensure sustainable use of water resources. ACT would reform water use rights, moving away from fixed limits and first-in-first-served arrangements, to a more efficient system of tradeable water use rights.

Free trade
ACT has always been the strongest supporter of free trade in Parliament. ACT will continue to champion free trade agreements so New Zealand businesses have access to large overseas markets.

ENDS

Rural_Policy_Explainer.pdf

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