Rulings a boost for high country farmers

High-country farmers hope three judicial hearings and one independent review which have all gone in their favour may finally see an end to constant criticism about their role on the land. Those who initiated legal action or have questioned the farmers, say they were just trying to get legal clarity, while farming leaders have questioned the motives of some of the scrutiny, but said the litigation has clarified and strengthened property rights and farmer's right to farm reports The ODT. Federated Farmers high-country committee chairman Donald Aubrey said the criticism of farmers reflected a general waning of respect for others in society, and a lack of appreciation of farmer's role in managing the land. He was proud of the way farmers had stood up for themselves, such as the Soldiers Syndicate in securing grazing access to the Ida Range, but was reluctant to say lessees had been vindicated. He said Fish and Game New Zealand management was out of step with its membership in seeking a declarity judgement over whether lessees had exclusive possession and whether the public had access rights. Mr Aubrey said the move by Land Information New Zealand (Linz) to include a charge for amenity values in pastoral lease rents, was driven by an agenda of the previous Government. "Introducing amenity values was a not so subtle attempt by the Government to get its way." Last week the Otago District Land Valuation Tribunal found in favour of lessees in the methodology Linz used to set rents, which Mr Aubrey said was a clearcut ruling in favour of Minaret Station lessees, Jonathan and Annabel Wallis.