LABOUR'S GREEN POLICY A BLUEPRINT FOR RED TAPE

Labour's environmental policy, would create endless stifling red tape for farmers and agribusinesses, Minister for Food and Fibre, John Luxton said today.

"A good environmental policy balances the needs of the environment with the need for jobs, growth and development. This policy will jeopardise both."

"Giving legal aid to environmental groups to fight farmers in the Environmental Court is outrageous. Increasing the bureaucracy surrounding the assessment of environmental impacts for resource consents will further grind farmers and rural people into the ground."

"Farmers are good custodians of the land. They know that sustainable land management is necessary to ensure the long-term viability of our land-based industries. They need a Government that recognises this, not one which seems intent on destroying New Zealand's most important industry.

"National knows the important contribution agriculture makes to the economy because many Cabinet Ministers are from farming backgrounds and a number of our MPs are from rural electorates. National will continue to work with rural people to forge a brighter and more prosperous future. While a quality environment is equally important, National knows we forsake farmers at New Zealand's peril," Mr Luxton concluded.