Letter to the Editor Tuesday December 10, 2013

An Orwellian disaster

We battled hard, spent over $11,000 in advertising and full-house public meetings around Northland to advise, warn land owners of the intent of the Northland regional policy statement that was adopted by the Northland Regional Council on October 17.

In broad brush terms, the plan undermines your freehold property title. It provides for far greater regional and district council involvement in control of your land rights and affairs. Any changes you wish to make will result in dissolving your previous rights, and involve both regional and district councils in prohibitions and costs to you.

The Northland Regional Plan has cancelled the right to produce from hundreds of thousands of hectares of yet to be developed coastal land around Northland.

The cost, investment in local farming, forestry and associated employment of contractors, transport and rising rates of Maori unemployment were all given scant regard in this environmental fascism.

Rest assured, the Northland regional policy statement will lead to a big increase in the growing army of enforcers, town planning specialists, solicitors - all at the land owners'/ratepayers' cost. Producers, developers and exporters are no longer a considered importance.

Attending the commission hearings, we made small concessions, however the main thrust of this cancerous plan remains firmly in place.

The next step in this Orwellian disaster is to appeal the plan. It will be a costly road, but generous donations have allowed for the first step in this long process.

If you protested at the commission hearings and wish to join the Landowners' Coalition appeal, please advise Frank Newman on frank@newman.co.nz

BOB SYRON

Convenor

Landowners' Coalition