Rural Communities Show Strong Support For National
Hon John Luxton
Minister of Food, Fibre, Biosecurity and
Border Control
Hon Lockwood Smith
Minister for
International Trade
Hon David Carter
Associate Minister
of Food, Fibre, Biosecurity and Border Control
MEDIA
STATEMENT
15 November 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
RURAL COMMUNITIES DEMONSTRATE STRONG SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL
Jim Sutton’s claim that National’s support in
South Canterbury is collapsing has been rubbished by Food &
Fibre Minister John Luxton, Trade Minister Lockwood Smith
and Associate Food & Fibre Minister David Carter.
“Over
the past few weeks, we’ve held a series of woolshed meetings
across New Zealand, and found warm support for National’s
policies for rural communities,” the Ministers said.
“As
farmers ourselves, we know that depressed global commodity
prices and two years of drought have meant that it’s been
very hard to make ends meet over the past couple of years,”
Dr Smith and Mr Luxton said.
“But farmers and primary
producers have demonstrated strong support for National’s
record over the past nine years which has assisted rural
communities through:
tax cuts;
the
abolition of stamp and death duties;
interest
rates at 30 year lows;
increased productivity
and lower transport charges;
flexible employment
law;
reduced input costs through the elimination
of most import tariffs;
competitive provision of
workplace accident insurance;
huge gains on
access to overseas markets;
a tough stance on
law and order;
“Although we give Jim Sutton’s
commitment to assisting rural communities the benefit of the
doubt, farmers have serious reservations about Labour’s
commitment to rural communities given that its policies of
higher taxes, inflexible employment law, higher interest
rates and higher ACC premiums will all harm rural
communities.
“Moreover, farmers are very concerned that
while over 40% of Labour’s top 50 list candidates have trade
union backgrounds, just three have a background in primary
production, and that’s if you include former vet Pete
Hodgson.
“By contrast, over 40% of National’s top 50 list
candidates have a background in primary production,
including the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the
Treasurer, Trade Minister, Minister and Associate Food and
Fibre Ministers, and so on.
“National is the only party
with a proven track record and a team that has the
experience, skills and understanding necessary to deliver
sound policies for New Zealand’s rural communities.
“Jim
Sutton’s commitment to help farmers by fiddling with the
portfolio’s name is hollow, and probably all he’d be able to
achieve for farmers within any Labour-Alliance coalition,”
the Ministers
concluded.
ENDS